Myanmar has once again become a magnet for transnational criminal groups. Conditions that make legitimate business nearly impossible economic collapse, deteriorating rule of law and spreading chaos are fertile ground for organized criminals, and they are returning to Myanmar in force after a brief crackdown by the country’s now-deposed civilian government. In the two months since the military reestablished its tumultuous rule, criminal activities in Myanmar have widened dramatically, posing new challenges to the region’s efforts and ability to control cross-border crime.
The police take arrested protesters to a prison truck in Yangon, Myanmar, March 3, 2021. (The New York Times)