Drugs And Crime News

The latest drugs and crime stories, each synthesized from multiple sources with added background and context.

"Oregon Bust: 1.4 Tons of Liquid Heroin Seized, 4 Arrested"

Liquid heroin, a highly addictive opioid, is powdered heroin dissolved in water and heated for injection, crossing the blood-brain barrier faster than other forms and leading to intense effects and high potential for addiction. Its use comes with serious and often deadly side effects, including drowsiness, impaired cognition, decreased respiratory function, and long-term health issues. In a recent "astronomical" bust in Oregon, 1.4 metric tons of liquid heroin were seized, leading to the arrest of four men connected to a Mexico-based transnational criminal organization.

2 years ago•Source: USA TODAY

Myanmar Surpasses Afghanistan as Global Opium Leader: UN Report

drugs-and-crime

2.46 min•2 years ago

Myanmar Surpasses Afghanistan as Global Opium Leader: UN Report

Myanmar has surpassed Afghanistan as the world's top opium producer, according to a United Nations report. The decline in opium cultivation in Afghanistan after a Taliban-imposed drug ban in 2022 has shifted global supply to Myanmar, where political instability following a 2021 coup has driven many to poppy farming. Opium cultivation in Myanmar has increased by 18% from 2022 to 2023, with farmers now earning 75% more from opium poppy farming. The report highlights the link between opium cultivation in Southeast Asia and poverty, lack of government services, and insecurity. The UNODC warns of a "convergence" of criminal activities in the region, including drug trafficking, money laundering, and online scams.

via Al Jazeera English