On September 20th, the New Mon State Party (NMSP) seized over a thousand kratom leaves classified as a narcotic and mood-affecting substance from a house located in Wei Baung village, in the Ye Chaung Phaya area of Mon State.
“We heard the news and then went to arrest U Cho at his house and seized over a thousand of kratom leaves along with three bottles of cough syrup [that were] in his possession. It is the biggest amount of an illegal drug seizure,” said Nai Gong Saka, a Secretary with the NMSP office in Southern Ye Township.
One kratom leaf sells for between 100 to 200 Kyats. Anywhere between 10 to 30 kratom leaves can be boiled in water and the extracted juice can be mixed with soft drinks, coffee, or cough syrup.
“Different types of drugs such as methamphetamine pills and kratom leaves are popular among Mon youth,” Nai Gong Saka added. Although youth do consume alcohol such as beer, the amount of drug-related products like meth pills and kratom leaves consumption has been rising, he added.
Regions such as Kyaikmayaw, Mudon, Thanbyuzayat, Ye, Kawkareik, and Kyar-Inn-Seik-Kyi, all produce Kratom leaves, where youth are increasing their usage of the drug.
