YANGON, Myanmar: Officials set on fire more than 50 tons of illegal drugs, including heroin, opium, ketamine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and crystal meth, valued at nearly US$600 million, near Myanmar's biggest city on June 26.

Myanmar, also called Burma, has a long history of producing drugs because of political and economic problems caused by years of conflict. It has been a major supplier of illegal drugs to East and Southeast Asia. It is one of the world's largest producers of heroin and methamphetamine, despite many attempts to stop it.

Experts say drug production has increased since the military took power in 2021, leading to ongoing conflict between the military, pro-democracy groups, and ethnic armed groups.

In January, the military said it made the biggest drug seizures in the country's history, taking drugs and equipment from 12 production sites in northern Shan state during raids.

This year, the value of the drugs destroyed was more than twice that of last year. Police officer Aung Myat Soe said that in Yangon alone, drugs worth about $321 million, including 31 types, were burned.

Similar events were held in Mandalay and Taunggyi, near major drug-producing areas, to mark the United Nations' International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Many parts of Myanmar are controlled by ethnic militias, some of which are fighting the military government along with pro-democracy groups that emerged after the 2021 coup that removed elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

In elections held earlier this year, which international observers said were not free or fair and excluded major opposition groups, the military leaders won by a large margin.

The government claims that militias use drug money to fund their fighting and avoid peace talks because they do not want to lose this income. While some groups are involved in the drug trade, others try to stop it.

For example, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, which had taken control of large parts of northern Shan state before agreeing to a ceasefire with the military in October, said it would destroy about $5.5 million worth of seized drugs in areas under its control.