Merchants of Madness ? The Methamphetamine Explosion in the Golden Triangle

For decades, Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Burma intersect, has been infamous for its opium and heroin production. But in the 1990s, the drug gangs in the Golden Triangle began to produce methamphetamine, a synthetic narcotic that is not dependent on an unreliable crop like the opium poppy. The drug has become known as ya ba in Thailand - "madness medicine." The drug makes users hyperactive and often aggressive, breaking them down mentally as well as physically. It has led to murders, stabbings, and the kidnappings of innocent people.

Who are the merchants of this madness? Bertil Lintner and Michael Black's answer is based on two decades of extensive research including first-hand accounts of the drug trade from law enforcement officers, intelligence officials, and sources close to the drug traffickers. Their exposé reveals how the Golden Triangle drug trade has grown to become a multi-billion dollar criminal enterprise.