The New Mon State Party (NMSP) forces destroyed over 300 kratom plants seized at Ngat Pyaw Taw and Sate Kalay villages in Kyarinseikkyi Township, Karen State, earlier this month.

The plantation owner, Nai Sone Thein was arrested, on January 10, under the authority of the NMSP Battalion 1 from the Mawlamyine District Office.

“We have heard about this man [the Kratom plantation owner] for a while, but we could not arrest him without evidence. Parents came to us to report the drug effects on their children so many times, so we tried to investigate. We have arrested him, and he will be punished according to the law, “ said Colonel Aye Marn, of the NMSP Battalion 1.

The Kratom plantation owner was sent to the District Administrative office, and the kratom leaves have been incinerated.

Authorities with the NMSP in Kyarinnseikkyi Township destroyed thousands of kratom plants near Sa-Neah Wei [LatWarSate] village on March 1st of last year.

Kratom leaves have been replacing alcohol and are also commonly used at ceremonial events by mixing the leaves with soft drinks, coffee, or cough syrup.

Some users also take the leaves with methamphetamine pills. Both the NMSP and the government’s drug laws categorize kratom leaves as a narcotic drug.