# Naw Kham > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Naw_Kham > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Naw_Kham.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naw_Kham > Source revision: 1356158760 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Shan-Burmese drug trafficker (1969–2013)}} {{Burmese name|Sai}} {{family name hatnote|lang=Burmese|Naw Kham}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = [Sai](/source/Burmese_honorifics) | name = Naw Kham | image = | alt = | caption = | native_name = {{native name|shn|ၼေႃႇၶမ်း}} | birth_name = Naw Kham | birth_date = {{birth date|1969|11|8|df=y}} | birth_place = [Lashio](/source/Lashio), [Shan State](/source/Shan_State), [Burma](/source/Socialist_Republic_of_the_Union_of_Burma) | death_date = {{death date and age|2013|3|1|1969|11|8|df=y}} | death_place = [Kunming](/source/Kunming), [Yunnan](/source/Yunnan), China | resting_place = | native_name_lang = shn | other_names = | organization = Hawngleuk Militia | criminal_charge = Murder | criminal_penalty = [Lethal injection](/source/Lethal_injection) | criminal_status = Executed | occupation = Druglord | spouse = | parents = Khun Zeun, Nang Mya Oo | children = }} {{Contains special characters|Burmese}} '''Sai Naw Kham''' ({{langx|my|နော်ခမ်း}}; {{langx|shn|ၼေႃႇၶမ်း}}; also spelled '''Nor Kham'''; 8 November 1969 – 1 March 2013) was an ethnic [Shan](/source/Shan_people) associate of the Chinese drug trafficker [Khun Sa](/source/Khun_Sa) who operated in the [Golden Triangle](/source/Golden_Triangle_(Southeast_Asia)), a major drugs-smuggling area where the borders of Burma, [Laos](/source/Laos) and [Thailand](/source/Thailand) converge.{{cite news|url=http://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20120920/103256.shtml|title=Background: Life of Naw Kham|author=Wang Xiaomei|date=20 September 2012|work=CCTV|accessdate=3 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419203557/http://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20120920/103256.shtml|archive-date=19 April 2015|url-status=dead}} He was executed for alleged involvement in the [killing of 13 Chinese sailors](/source/Mekong_River_massacre). Excessive media coverage and live broadcast of the execution were seen in Myanmar as a Chinese attempt to frame the ethnic Shans and the Burmese for the drug problems; China had previously allowed drug traffickers like [Pheung Kya-shin](/source/Pheung_Kya-shin) to roam free in China.{{Citation|title=တရုတ်မှောင်ခိုသမားတွေ အရမ်းကြောက်ခဲ့ရတဲ့ ရွှေတြိဂံနယ်မြေက နာမည်ကျော် စိုင်းနော်ခမ်း| date=27 December 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcIk-s9rju8|language=en|access-date=21 September 2021}} Since the KMT retreated to Burma in the early 1950s, ethnic Chinese drug lords have set up a drug empire in the Golden Triangle, taking advantage of their [global networks](/source/Guanxi), which the natives lacked. Profits from the drug trade have allowed the Chinese to expand and replace the native populations. As a result, parts of northern Myanmar and the city of Mandalay have become effectively sinicized.{{Cite book|last=Chang|first=Wen-Chin|title=Beyond borders : stories of Yunnanese Chinese migrants of Burma|date=2014|isbn=978-0-8014-5451-6|location=Ithaca|oclc=904979076}} ==Background== Naw Kham was formerly a subordinate associate of [Khun Sa](/source/Khun_Sa), a major ethnic Chinese drug lord who surrendered to the Burmese government in 1996 in exchange for amnesty. Naw's gang numbered in the hundreds and included members of Khun Sa's former paramilitary forces, along with ethnic rebels. At its height, Naw Kham's militia, the Hawngleuk Militia had 100 members and was based out of [Tachileik](/source/Tachileik), near the Thai-Burmese border.{{cite news|url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/lite/topstories/314749/mekong-river-bandit-powerful-friends-dry-up|title=Mekong River bandit's powerful friends dry up|last=Thornton|first=Phil|date=30 September 2012|work=Bangkok Post|accessdate=3 October 2012}} It was composed of guerillas from [Shan State](/source/Shan_State) ethnic minorities such as the [Shan](/source/Shan_people), [Wa](/source/Va_people), [Lahu](/source/Lahu_people), [Kachin](/source/Kachin_people) and [Palaung](/source/Palaung_people). The militia was involved in trafficking of [methamphetamine](/source/methamphetamine) and [heroin](/source/heroin), kidnapping, murder, racketeering, and banditry in the [Mekong River](/source/Mekong_River) area. ==In custody== After the [Mekong River massacre](/source/Mekong_River_massacre) in October 2011 and subsequent backlash from the Chinese, Laotian officials arrested Naw Kham and extradited him to China on 10 May 2012.{{cite news|url=http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/8239|title=Raids on Naw Kham Bases Net Heroin, Speed|date=3 July 2012|work=The Irrawaddy|accessdate=3 October 2012}} Then in the July 2012 raids of Naw Kham's militia bases, Burmese authorities seized over 600,000 methamphetamine pills and 120 bars of heroin. Hunting for Naw Kham, the Chinese "special task group" has used new technologies such as the [Beidou System](/source/Beidou_Navigation_Satellite_System) according to the [Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China](/source/Ministry_of_Public_Security_of_the_People's_Republic_of_China). Because the gang's remote hiding area is difficult to reach, even a [UAV](/source/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle) "execution operation" was once proposed.{{cite news|url=https://www.wenxuecity.com/news/2013/02/17/2237268.html|date=17 February 2013|work=环球网|accessdate=17 February 2013|title=专案组长披露抓捕糯康经过：曾欲派无人机斩首 }} On 21 September 2012, Naw Kham pleaded guilty at the Intermediate People's Court in [Kunming](/source/Kunming), [Yunnan](/source/Yunnan){{cite news|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-09/21/c_131865938.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411032344/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-09/21/c_131865938.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 April 2013|title=Principal suspect of Mekong River attack pleads guilty|author=Tang Danlu|date=21 September 2012|accessdate=3 October 2012}} to the murders of thirteen Chinese sailors killed during the [Mekong River massacre](/source/Mekong_River_massacre). He and three of his subordinates were sentenced to death. On 26 December 2012, the Yunnan Higher Court rejected Naw Kham's appeals, upholding the death penalties.{{cite news|url=http://www.mizzima.com/news/regional/8639-burmese-drug-lords-final-appeal-rejected.html|title=Burmese drug lord's final appeal rejected|date=27 December 2012|work=MIZZIMA|accessdate=27 December 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227174728/http://mizzima.com/news/regional/8639-burmese-drug-lords-final-appeal-rejected.html|archivedate=27 December 2012}} ==Trial and execution== Naw Kham was executed by [lethal injection](/source/lethal_injection) in [Kunming](/source/Kunming) on 1 March 2013 together with his three subordinates: Hsang Kham from Thailand; Yi Lai, stateless; and Zha Xika, a Laotian.{{cite news|url=http://society.people.com.cn/n/2013/0301/c223276-20647907.html|script-title=zh:糯康等湄公河案四名罪犯被依法执行死刑|date=1 March 2013|work=人民网|accessdate=2 March 2013|language=zh}}{{cite web |title=China executes drug kingpin with last moments on TV |website=[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph) |date=March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414053308/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/9901831/China-executes-drug-kingpin-with-last-moments-on-TV.html |archive-date=14 April 2023 |url-status=live |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/9901831/China-executes-drug-kingpin-with-last-moments-on-TV.html}}{{cite news|url=http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/28170|title=China Executes 4 Foreigners over Mekong Murders|date=1 March 2013|work=The Irrawaddy|accessdate=3 March 2013}} Another two members of Naw Kham's gang, identified as Zha Bo and Zha Tuobo, received a [death sentence with reprieve](/source/death_sentence_with_reprieve) and eight years [in prison](/source/incarceration), respectively. ==References== {{Reflist|2}} {{Authority control}} Category:1969 births Category:2013 deaths Category:21st-century executions by China Category:21st-century pirates Category:Bandits Category:Burmese drug traffickers Category:Burmese people executed abroad Category:Burmese Shan people Category:Burmese warlords Category:People convicted of murder by China Category:People executed by China by lethal injection Category:Executed gangsters Category:Executed mass murderers Category:People from Shan State --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Naw Kham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naw_Kham) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naw_Kham?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.