The Golden Triangle

[Dealey Joe]

The Golden Triangle (Burmese; Thai, Vietnamese: is one of Asia's two main illicit opium-producing areas. It is an area of around 367,000 square miles (950,000 km2) that overlaps the mountains of four countries of Southeast Asia: Burma, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Along with Afghanistan in the Golden Crescent and Pakistan, it has been one of the most extensive opium-producing areas of Asia and of the world since the 1920s. Most of the world's heroin came from the Golden Triangle until the early 21st century when Afghanistan became the world's largest producer.[1]The Golden Triangle also designates the confluence of the Ruak River and the Mekong river, since the term has been appropriated by the Thai tourist industry to describe the nearby junction of Thailand.Burma is the world's second largest producer of illicit opium, after Afghanistan[1] and has been a significant cog in the transnational drug trade since World War II.[2][3] According to the UNODC it is estimated that in 2005 there wеrе 167 square miles (430 km2) of opium cultivation in Burma.[4] The surrender of drug warlord Khun Sa's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Yangon as a major counter-narcotics success, but lack of government will and agility to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall anti-drug effort. Most of the tribespeople growing the opium poppy in Burma and in the Thai highlands are living under the poverty line.In 1996, the United States Embassy in Rangoon released a "Country Commercial Guide", which states "Exports of opiates alone appear to be worth about as much as all legal exports." It goes on to say that investments in infrastructure and hotels are coming from major opiate-growing and opiate-exporting organizations and from those with close ties to these organizations.[5]A four-year investigation concluded that Burma's national company Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) was "the main channel for laundering the revenues of heroin produced and exported under the control of the Burmese army." In a business deal signed with the French oil giant Total in 1992, and later joined by Unocal, MOGE received a payment of $15 million. "Despite the fact that MOGE has no assets besides the limited installments of its foreign partners and makes no profit, and that the Burmese state never had the capacity to allocate any currency credit to MOGE, the Singapore bank accounts of this company have seen the transfer of hundreds of millions of US dollars," reports François Casanier. According to a confidential MOGE file reviewed by the investigators, funds exceeding $60 million and originating from Myanmar's most renowned drug lord, Khun Sa, were channeled through the company. "Drug money is irrigating every economic activity in Burma, and big foreign partners are also seen by the SLORC as big shields for money laundering."[5] Banks in Rangoon offered money laundering for a 40% commission.[6]The main player in the country's drug market is the United Wa State Army, ethnic fighters who control areas along the country's eastern border with Thailand, part of the infamous Golden Triangle. The UWSA, an ally of Myanmar's ruling military junta, was once the militant arm of the Beijing-backed Burmese Communist Party.Poppy cultivation in the country decreased more than 80 percent from 1998 to 2006 following an eradication campaign in the Golden Triangle. Officials with the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime say opium poppy farming is now expanding. The number of hectares used to grow the crops increased 29% in 2007. A United Nations report cites corruption, poverty and a lack of government control as causes for the jump.Opium and heroin base produced in northeastern Myanmar are transported by horse and donkey caravans to refineries along the Thailand–Burma border for conversion to heroin and heroin base. Most of the finished products are shipped across the border into various towns in North Thailand and down to Bangkok for further distribution to international markets. In the past major Thai Chinese and Burmese Chinese traffickers in Bangkok have controlled much of the foreign sales and movement of Southeast Asian heroin from Thailand, but a combination of law enforcement pressure, publicity and a regional drought has significantly reduced their role. As a consequence, many less-predominant traffickers in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand now control smaller quantities of the heroin going to international markets.Heroin from Southeast Asia is most frequently brought to the United States by couriers, typically Thai and U.S. nationals, travelling on commercial airlines. California and Hawaii are the primary U.S. entry points for Golden Triangle heroin, but small percentages of the drug are trafficked into New York City and Washington, D.C. While Southeast Asian groups have had success in trafficking heroin to the United States, they initially had difficulty arranging street level distribution. However, with the incarceration of Asian traffickers in American prisons during the 1940s, contacts between Asian and American prisoners developed. These contacts have allowed Southeast Asian traffickers access to gangs and organizations distributing heroin at the retail level.[8]In recent years, the production has shifted to Yaba and other forms of methamphetamine, including for export to the United States.The Chinese muslim Panthay are the same ethnic group as the muslims among the Chinese Chin Haw, both are descendants of Chinese Hui muslim immigrants from Yunnan province in China. They often work with each other in the Golden Triangle Drug Trade. Both Chinese muslim and non muslim Jeen Haw and Panthay are known to be members of Triad secret societies, working with other Chinese groups in Thailand like the TeoChiew and Hakka and the 14K Triad. They engaged in the heroin trade. Ma Hseuh-fu, from Yunnan province, was one of the most prominent Jeen Haw heroin drug lords, his other professions included trading in tea and a hotelier.[9]A Panthay from Burma, Ma Zhengwen, assisted the Han chinese drug lord Khun Sa in selling his heroin in north Thailand.[10] The Panthay monopolized Opium trafficking in Burma.[11] They also created secret drug routes to reach the international market with contacts to smuggle drugs from Burma via south China.

[Bruce Patrick Brychek]

10.27.2012Dear JFK Murder Solved Forum Members and Readers:01.06.2012 - Joe Hall Posted this Headline that has more far reaching tentacles than the largest octopus.In the words of Mr. Bob Fox: "Follow the money." I add FOLLOW THE DRUGS.The connections between The Golden Triangle and American Interests in Viet Nam, Laos,and Cambodia from the 1950's - today are Mind Boggling, and Revealing.Any additional analyses, interviews, investigations, readings, research, studies, thoughts,or writings on any aspect of this Subject Matter ?Bear in mind that we are trying to attract and educate a Whole New Generation of JFKResearchers who may not be as well versed as you.Comments ?Respectfully,BB.

[Bruce Patrick Brychek]

08.03.2013Dear JFK Murder Solved Forum Members and Readers:01.06.2012 - Mr. Joe "Dealey Joe" Hall Posted this knowledgeable Headline.How's that War on Drugs going ?Why can you buy Heroin on the streets of Chicago and most major cities easierthan you can obtain a Taxi Cab ?How have a Majority of U.S. Covert Operations been funded ?FOLLOW THE DRUGS.* Drug Trafficking Headline Posted 12.07.2011 by Mr. Joe "Dealey Joe" Hallneeds to be read in conjunction with the three (3) Headlines that I have noted.* Golden Triangle Headline Posted 01.06.2012 by Mr. Joe "Dealey Joe" Hallneeds to be read in conjunction with the three (3) Headlines that I have noted.* Secret Society Headline Posted 02.08.2007 by Mr. Billy Boggs needs to beread in conjunction with the three (3) Headlines that I have noted.Any additional analyses, interviews, investigations, readings, research, studies, thoughts, or writings on any aspect of this Subject Matter ?Bear in mind that we are trying to attract and educate a Whole New Generationof JFK Researchers who may not be as well versed as you.Comments ?Respectfully,BB.

[Bruce Patrick Brychek]

04.01.2015Dear JFK Murder Solved Forum Members and Readers:01.06.2012 - Joe Hall Posted this very important Headline that never received theattention that it deserved.What is the significance between the Golden Triangle and Viet Nam, Laos, andCambodia for America and the CIA in the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's ?What is the significance between American Interests in the Golden Triangle andthe Assassinations of JFK, MLK, and RFK ?I suggest that the connections are Billions Times Greater than all Americans realize.How's that American War On Drugs Doing Today ? Think about it thoroughly.Any additional analyses, interviews, investigations, readings, research, studies, thoughts,or writings on any aspect of this Subject Matter ?Bear in mind that we are trying to attract and educated a Whole New Generation of JFKResearchers who may not be as well versed as you.Comments ?Respectfully,BB.

[Ed Teach]

Take a closer look at designer drugs and in particular bath salts. The Chinese for years have been exporting this stuff likely by the shipping container full. People over here process and distribute it. The money goes back to China. It sullies traditional herbal users/trade both domestically and internationally. It is a huge cash cow from many angles when you think about. It is aimed at the younger generation. They also export in pill and powder form many different sexual enhancement concoctions. These are typically aimed at the Asian market playing on cultural beliefs. It is the new science/economics experiment. The USA government continues it's whack a mole war on drugs while allowing corporate chemists to profit like crazy off of pills for the masses and flu shots and the such.Often I wonder if China isn't going to pay the world back for the Opium Wars one of these days...

[Dealey Joe]

Yes Ed, I have long though China was going to be a major problem for the U.S. and maybe the world?

[Ed Teach]

Here is another angle to explore...http://www.singapore-window.org/sw05/05 ... aporeThink about Singapore today...and Singapore in the early 60's.

[kenmurray]

Asia's Golden Triangle:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gs4cgczQgY