Nature Crimes
The Convergence of Criminal Economies in the Mekong Region
By Kevin M. Woods with contributions from Arthur Blundell View PublicationThe Mekong Region—particularly the tri-border “Golden Triangle” of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand—has become a hub where environmental exploitation and criminal activity converge, collectively generating billions of dollars annually for transnational enterprises. This report examines how nature crimes—the illegal extraction and trade of natural resources—are deeply embedded within broader illicit economies across the Mekong Region, with particular focus on post-coup Myanmar.
Myanmar’s military coup in February 2021 served as a catalyst for explosive criminal expansion across the region. Regulatory breakdown, the emergence of hundreds of armed resistance groups, and economic crises have provided criminal organizations with optimal conditions to intensify both environmental exploitation and associated illicit activities.
While research on illicit activities in the Mekong Region has primarily focused on drug trafficking, human trafficking, and financial scam centers, the critical role of nature crimes in supporting these broader criminal enterprises has received comparatively little attention. This oversight is significant because criminal organizations typically begin with nature crimes that require less initial investment while generating significant returns, providing the capital, physical infrastructure, and trade networks needed to expand into other illegal enterprises. Criminal groups leverage the same networks, routes, and money laundering mechanisms across multiple illegal activities; for example, networks established for timber trafficking are used for drug smuggling and human trafficking. The transnational nature of these criminal networks and their nested activities demand enhanced understanding, particularly given the security challenges posed by Myanmar’s ongoing political crisis.