Strand Title: 101 East |
Programme Number & Title: Asia’s Meth Boom |
Date: march 7 |
Script Version: FINAL |
Transmission date (known or approx): |
Total Programme Duration (mins:secs): |
Al Jazeera producer/program editor name: |
Al Jazeera producer/program editor telephone number: |
AL Jazeera bureau: |
Commissioning Executive name: Sharon Robool |
Commissioning Executive telephone number: |
Name and address of commission/Independent company: 2050 Productions Ltd., 1269/1 Mooban Ramintranivet,
Taraeng Bangkaen, Bangkok 10230 |
|
Instructions: Please use
colour-coding when listing contributors and sourced footage. This will enable those elements to be more easily
compared/ added to the PasC form. Narration – in CAPS Dialogue – italics Correspondent to Camera,
PTC – in plain text Names and references as they appear
in this transcript: [from lower thirds] |
|
Time |
Visuals |
Audio |
0:00 |
|
MUSIC: ANW1177_24_Street-Patrol-4-(60).wav ANW1177_03_Street-Patrol.wav |
00:06 |
Archive of
Malaysia, Philippines press conference standing in front of lots of meth. RC-MYS-1tonne 1:50min 4157673.mxf |
RECORD BREAKING
AMOUNTS OF METHAMPHETAMINES ARE BEING SEIZED ACROSS ASIA. |
00:06 |
|
Sound up, crackling
of meth packaging. |
00:12 |
Archive of Thai
busts, that just show more and more and more meth. RC-THA-Authorities 1:51- Wide of
meth stacks 1:10-CU of
number RC-THA-Seizes RC-THA-Incinerates |
… MASSIVE HAULS
OF PILLS AND CRYSTAL METH ARE FLOODING THE REGION SOME OF IT
REACHING AS FAR NORTH AS JAPAN, AND AS FAR SOUTH AS AUSTRALIA AND NEW
ZEALAND. |
00:24 |
Pkg-tha-narcotics-drugs-cme-170716 |
WHERE DOES IT ALL COME
FROM? - MYANMAR THE BIGGEST METH PRODUCER IN THE WORLD. Thailand Justice
Minister: 1:20-1:29 The world has
lost the war on drugs |
0:40 |
Pailin in van
scribbling, looking out window of van. Day2/FS7/01_INDIA4227.MXF-4232 Day2/GOPRO100 DAY6&7/FS7/CARD1 01_INDIA4962 11:51:29:09 Van exterior
winding through mountains |
101 EAST
TRAVELS TO THE BORDERLANDS OF MYANMAR TO INVESTIGATE WHAT’S DRIVING ASIA’S
METH BOOM AND WHY AUTHORITIES ARE POWERLESS TO STOP IT. |
|
|
101 East Sting |
|
|
MUSIC: ANW2848_08_Dark-Web.wav |
00:06 |
Location:
Thailand Day2/FS7/01_INDIA4234-36,
39-42 Fog timelapses Day2/GOPRO100 Day2/FS7/01_INDIA4321-25 |
THIS IS THE
SO-CALLED GOLDEN TRIANGLE, A BORDER REGION KNOWN FOR ITS BEAUTY ….AND
NOTORIOUS FOR DRUGS. |
00:06 |
|
Day2/FS7/01_INDIA4363.MXF PTC: Behind
these mountains is Myanmar. We’re standing in Thailand and just over there is
a highway making it really easy for traffickers to bring drugs over the
border and straight to the cities of Thailand. |
01:35 |
|
MUSIC Triads_3 |
01:37 |
Col. Chatree Sanguan-Tham Special Task Force
Commander The 2nd Cavalry Regiment Walk at the
border with Colonel. DAY1/FS7/CARD1/01_INDIA4047.MXF |
WE’RE ON THE FRONT LINE OF THE DRUG WAR JOINING A THAI
MILITARY PATROL TRYING TO STOP THE MASSIVE FLOW OF METHAMPHETAMINES COMING
ACROSS THE BORDER. COLONEL CHATREE
SANGAUN-THAM IS THE LEADER OF THE SPECIAL UNIT ON PATROL. HE’S BEEN ON
THE JOB FOR LESS THAN A YEAR BUT HE’S OVERSEEN SOME OF THAILAND’S BIGGEST AND
MOST VIOLENT BUSTS. |
2:01 |
|
File 01_INDIA4057 00:34:15:17-00:34:30:22 We have to make
them realise you can’t come into our country that easily. You will face tough
enforcement. |
|
01_INDIA4067-78 |
Sound up from
soldiers prepping their weapons. |
2:16 |
Soldiers
getting into trucks, Pailin in truck
with Colonel DAY1/FS7/CARD1 01_INDIA4080-87 “It’s a route we monitor when we suspect trafficking activity.” |
DAY1/FS7/01_INDIA4082.MXF (Thai) PW: Tell me
about the area we’re travelling to. Is it an area traffickers use often? 00:50:53:13
It’s a route that we suspect there will be trafficking. 00:51:02:04 |
|
DAY1/FS7/CARD1 01_INDIA4088-99 |
Sound up from
military trucks |
2:35 |
DAY1/FS7/CARD1 01_INDIA4106-4118 *do not show CU
of map, has classified info DAY1/FS7/CARD1 01_INDIA4094 |
THE UNIT COVERS
MORE THAN THIRTY KILOMETERS OF THE BORDER. MANY ENCOUNTERS
END UP IN GUN FIGHTS. THIS TEAM
KILLED FIVE TRAFFICKERS DURING A BUST A FEW MONTHS AGO. BUT THERE ARE
ALWAYS MORE WILLING TO TAKE THEIR CHANCES. TRAFFICKERS
WITH BACKPACKS FULL OF METH CAN RUN ACROSS THE BORDER IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. File
01_INDIA4057 00:19:11:19-00:19:33:07
|
3:13 |
DAY1/FS7/CARD1 01_INDIA4126-39 45, 52, 53 |
BUT BACKPACKS
ARE JUST ONE WAY TO TRAFFICK METH. |
3:17 |
01_INDIA4126-39 45, 52, 53 Soldiers walk
out of jungle |
AND A
STAGGERING AMOUNT IS COMING IN - AUTHORITIES ESTIMATE THEY ARE ONLY
CATCHING ABOUT TWENTY PERCENT OF IT. |
3:25 |
|
File
01_INDIA4057 00:11:52:00 COL: Just in
this province alone, this year, we’ve already seized 57 million pills this
year. 00:11:32:11 COL: In the
past three months we have already seized 60% of the entire amount we seized
last year. |
3:38 |
|
MUSIC: ANW2866_58_Lurking-Danger-2.wav ANW2866_59_Lurking-Danger-3.wav |
3:39 |
DAY1/FS7 01_INDIA4159-4199 DAY3/A7S/ C008-22 Check point
searches |
ANOTHER WAY
THEY TRY TO STOP THE FLOW OF DRUGS IS AT CHECKPOINTS ALONG THESE BORDER
PROVINCES. THAI MILITARY AND POLICE SEARCH BUSES AND TRUCKS WHERE
LARGE STASHES COULD BE HIDDEN. THE CHECKPOINTS
ARE DESIGNED TO CATCH TRAFFICKERS BY SURPRISE. AND TODAY THE
AUTHORITIES HAVE HAD A BIG WIN. |
4:02 |
DAY2/FS7 01_INDIA4311 Military
general arrives in armored vehicle to do press conference. 01_INDIA4313/ 03:29:40:10 Pailin looks at
the meth |
THIS IS WHAT
300 KILOGRAMS OF CRYSTAL METH LOOKS LIKE. SOLDIERS CARRY OUT BUNDLE AFTER BUNDLE FOR THE CAMERAS. KNOWN ON THE STREETS AS ICE.. THIS HIGH PURITY FORM OF
THE DRUG IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE KIND. IF IT REACHED
AUSTRALIA, THESE DRUGS WOULD BE WORTH
180 MILLION DOLLARS. Day2/FS7/ 01_INDIA4311 03:23:26:14 This vehicle
here came close to the checkpoint at Baan Nam Jam but suspiciously tried to
turn around. Authorities pursued as he tried to flee. But he couldn’t keep on
the road and flipped. 03:23:53:06 Authorities
searched the vehicle and found twelve sacks of crystal meth. 03:24:01:24 Altogether 300
kilograms. 03:24:07:15 03:25:16:02 PW: Is this
bust considered a big one for you? 03:25:20:19 General: It is
huge. Very big. 03:25:22:04 |
5:04 |
01_INDIA4313/ 03:31:53:05 Manit talking
to reporters 01_INDIA4320 More Manit
talking to reporters 03:38:42:08 Pailin’s walk
and talk with Manit at the bust in English. |
MANIT
KOMES IS WITH THAILAND’S NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD. HE TRACKS THE
PATTERNS OF TRAFFICKING. HE SAYS IN
MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS ON THE JOB, HE’S NEVER SEEN A TIME WHEN SO
MUCH CRYSTAL METH BEING SEIZED… THIS YEAR THERE HAS BEEN, ON AVERAGE, A BUST
EVERY WEEK. (Eng) 01_INDIA4279.MXF 02:59:15:00 This is
the fourth month of the fiscal year. Until now if you include this it’s two
thousand, two hundred kilograms. PW: Just
in the past four months Manit:
Yes, just four months. PW: How
does that compare to last year? Is it an increase or a decl... Manit: It’s an
increase. PW: By a lot? Manit: Triple. PW: Wow. 03:00:42:23 OR PW: So for the
producers is that a big hit for them? Manit: Yes, of
course they lose a lot of money. 01_INDIA4285.MXF
-- Pailin noddies |
|
TRANSITION TO
DEALER |
MUSIC ANW2512_06_Night-Strider.wav |
6:05 |
Van parking and
dealer walking. DAY3/A7S C0028-32.MP4 C0080-92.MP4 FOR FIVE YEARS,
HE SOLD THOUSANDS OF THESE RED PILLS A DAY. THEY’RE KNOWN LOCALLY AS YABA. Day3/A7/C0066,
62 Showing the
photo of the pills. Day3/A7/C0068-79 Cutaways of van
mirrors view etc. |
THE DRUGS THAT
DO MAKE IT ACROSS THE BORDER GET DISTRIBUTED AMONG DEALERS. THE TRADE IS SO
LUCRATIVE, IT OUTWEIGHS THE THREAT OF LIFE SENTENCES. THIS FORMER
DEALER AGREED TO MEET WITH US IF WE DISGUISE HIS VOICE AND APPEARANCE. DAY3/A7S/C0036 03:17:15:05-03:17:23:02 I would buy the
pills at (2 dollars 50) and then I sell for
(nearly 4 dollars). FOR FIVE YEARS,
HE SOLD THOUSANDS OF THESE RED PILLS A DAY. THEY’RE KNOWN LOCALLY AS YABA. 03:56:35:19 WY….
interesting. Day3/A7/File
C0039 03:32:33:01-03:32:56:11 They delivered the drugs
to me in backpacks. At first they gave me small bags of two hundred pills.
Then it was two thousand pills a bag and then four thousand and then up to
ten thousand. 03:33:08:00-03:33:15:06 How long does
it take to sell? It doesn’t take long to sell. Just a day. HIS PROFIT ON
TEN THOUSAND PILLS COULD BE AS MUCH AS THIRTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. Day3/A7/C0052 03:50:28:13-03:50:39:18 PW: (eng) Did
you ever think what you were doing was hurting other people and if you did,
why did you continue? Day3/A7/File
C0037 03:27:34:09-03:27:47:11 At first I thought this was wrong. But after a while, I
was making money. So I didn’t think too hard about it. |
|
|
MUSIC ANW2037_01_Incendiaries.wav |
7:34 |
GVs/CrowdsTL V1-0001_PANA0000.mov,
V1-0002_PANA0000.mov GVs/Construction
TL GVs/Traffic TL GVs/Bar
scene/PANA0000 - Copy.mov Non timelapses:
GVs/Traffic GVs/Construction Night life DAY6&7/A7S/C001-C0042 |
THE DEMAND
FOR METH ACROSS ASIA HAS NEVER BEEN HIGHER. GROWING
ECONOMIES ARE BEING FUELED BY WORKERS, GRINDING AWAY AT MENIAL JOBS. MANY
LABORERS USE YABA- WHICH MEANS “CRAZY MEDICINE” TO HELP THEM WORK LONG
HOURS... ...WHILE THOSE
WHO CAN AFFORD IT USE THE PRICIER CRYSTAL
METH OR ICE, TO PARTY HARD. |
7:58 |
Archive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9mByfFza5M Archive 7ชั่วโมงสยบคลั่งเมายา .mp4 Vision of a man
high and belligerent for seven hours. ** have rights to
this one |
STORIES ABOUT
METH ADDICTION ARE REGULARLY IN THE NEWS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9mByfFza5M Anchor: 0:00 Let’s talk
about crazy people. If they were just ill, we wouldn’t present it as news.
But if they are crazy from drugs... There’s a man in Chiang Mai, so high
from drugs, he started throwing the pills everywhere, giving it away to
others. 0:19 |
8:29 |
- |
BUT THE
MAJORITY OF USERS ARE EVERYDAY PEOPLE. |
|
|
MUSIC |
|
Tip smoking yaba Day3/FS7/Card1 01_INDIA4370-83 |
TIP IS A SINGLE MOTHER WHO WORKS SEVERAL JOBS
TO SUPPORT HER TWO CHILDREN, WHO LIVE WITH HER PARENTS. SHE SAYS SHE
REGULARLY USES YABA - A STIMULATING COMBINATION OF METHAMPHETAMINE AND
CAFFEINE - TO HELP HER CONCENTRATE AT WORK. |
8:53 |
|
Day3/FS7/Card1
File 01_INDIA4364 04:01:06:24-04:01:25:06 It’s like — I
become super focused on what’s in front of me. I stay on task. |
9:06 |
Tip smoking yaba Day3/FS7/Card1 01_INDIA4370-83 Day3/A7S/C0023-25 Tip in van Tip getting off
van 01_INDIA4406-08 Tip walking
around Day3/A7S/C0002-3 01_INDIA4384-4404 Tip in park |
AND YABA IS
EASY TO GET. Day3/FS7/Card1 01_INDIA4364 04:09:02:13-04:09:20:11 Before, I’d
have to go to the dealer twice. First to place my order and pay. Then I’d
have to wait hours, if not days, to go pick it up. Now I can pick it up right
away. EACH PILL COSTS
THREE DOLLARS. TIP SAYS MANY PEOPLE SHE KNOWS HAVE BECOME USERS. IN SOME CASES,
USERS CAN WORK IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR PILLS. 04:11:10:01-04:11:15:01 Some people
just work it off by doing manual labor. They don’t have to pay for it. TIP USES ALMOST
EVERY DAY BUT DENIES SHE’S AN ADDICT. 04:16:13:04-04:16:21:03 Even though I
use, I never let my kids see it. Never let them have it. They’ve never even
seen it. |
10:00 |
|
MUSIC ANW1654_08_Sinister-Act.wav |
10:01 |
Animated
graphic (WILL HAVE DRAFT BY 8TH MARCH) Draft https://app.frame.io/presentations/c89070ac-ea67-44b7-b09b-6cda7c3952c2 |
IN
MYANMAR, METH PRODUCTION IS CHEAP, QUICK AND LARGE SCALE - ESTIMATES VARY
BETWEEN 2 AND 6 BILLION PILLS A YEAR. THAT’S
MORE THAN THE NUMBER OF COFFEES STARBUCKS SERVES WORLDWIDE. |
10:14 |
Animated
graphic Showing Shan
state- China- Thailand draft https://app.frame.io/presentations/c89070ac-ea67-44b7-b09b-6cda7c3952c2
|
MOST OF IT IS
MADE IN SHAN STATE, WHICH HAS READY ACCESS TO PRECURSOR CHEMICALS FROM CHINA. IT ALSO HAS
ROADS LEADING INTO THAILAND, WHERE THE FINISHED PRODUCT IS THEN TRAFFICKED TO
OTHER COUNTRIES. |
10:29 |
|
MUSIC ANW1879_02_Mirror-Image.wav |
10:31 |
Archive of
fighting and peace negotiations Aptn-myanmar-shan-170216 At 1:11 And RC-MYN-Ethnic |
SHAN STATE HAS BECOME AN IDEAL HIDING PLACE FOR METH LABS
THANKS TO DECADES OF CIVIL WARS. VAST AREAS OF THE STATE ARE
STILL CONTROLLED BY ARMED GROUPS - BOTH REBELS AND GOVERNMENT FORCES. THE DRUG TRADE
IS A HUGE MONEY-MAKER FOR ALL SIDES. |
10:56 |
Archive Wa state army
marching and chanting RC-MYN-Ethnic DAY0 804_0031-41 |
THE MOST
POWERFUL OF THE REBEL GROUPS IS THE UNITED WA STATE ARMY. THEY USED TO BE
FAMOUS FOR THEIR HEROIN SMUGGLING, AUTHORITIES IN MYANMAR AND THAILAND THINK THEY’RE
NOW IN THE METH BUSINESS. NOTORIOUSLY
SECRETIVE, JOURNALISTS ARE RARELY GIVEN ACCESS BUT THEY HAVE RECENTLY
APPOINTED A SPOKESPERSON WHO AGREES TO TALK BY PHONE |
11:20 |
Day0 804_0023 |
804_0023 01:05:14:01-01:05:45:22
PW: Hi. My Name
is Pailin Wedel. I’m a reporter from Aljazeera. Do you have time to answer a
couple of questions? NYI RANG: Yeah
sure. Go ahead HE’S
SURPRISINGLY UPFRONT ABOUT DRUGS BEING PRODUCED IN WA TERRITORY..BUT INSISTS
IT’S ALL IN THE PAST. 01:09:36:00 NYI RANG: in the
past, there have been some unscrupulous groups and individuals operating meth
labs out of our reach in corners of our territories. And we have since
captured them. 01:09:17:04 PAILIN: Do you think there are any labs in
your territory right now? 01:12:56:00 NYI RANG: Drugs
are an enemy to the whole world 01:12:29:10 01:10:30:04 Just because it crossed through our
territory, doesn’t mean it was from us. 01:10:34:17 |
|
|
MUSIC ANW2874_02_Cygnus.wav |
12:06 |
Archive SEQUENCE 1 (15
secs) RC-THA-MYN-Burn |
ALL THE ARMED
GROUPS IN MYANMAR MAKE A BIG SHOW
OF THEIR ANTI DRUG EFFORTS WITH SPORADIC RAIDS AND TELEVISED DRUG BURNINGS. THEIR TRUE
INVOLVEMENT IN THE METH TRADE IS DIFFICULT TO PROVE. THE ONLY ONE
ALLOWING US TO SEE FOR OURSELVES IS THE SHAN STATE ARMY SOUTH. |
|
|
|
|
|
Upsot : Ceremony, Marching bands etc |
12:32 |
Start with DRONE
PARADE/DCIM/100MEDIA/DJI_003 DRONE PARADE/DCIM/100MEDIA DAY10&11/FS7/CARD2 DAY10&11/FS7/CARD1/01_INDIA5487-90 DAY10&11/FS7/CARD2/01_INDIA5576 - PAILIN IN CROWDS DAY10&11/FS7/CARD1/01_INDIA5462-75 Foreign dignitaries with
their name plates indicating their countries. |
IT IS SHAN
STATE DAY A CELEBRATION OF RESISTANCE AGAINST THE MYANMAR MILITARY. |
12:46 |
Yawd Serk Speech |
SOUND UP DAY10&11/FS7/CARD200_INDIA5550 20:14:04:16- 20:14:12:23 Dear brothers and sisters
and respected guests. 00:00:09:12 YAWD SERK IS
THE DE FACTO LEADER OF THIS TERRITORY. 20:15:00:15-20:15:06:15 It is our 72nd anniversary
as a nation. |
13:05 |
DAY10&11/FS7/CARD1 and
CARD2 Vision of soldiers parading
on national day and crowds in their traditional garb. DAY10&11/FS7/CARD2/01_INDIA5524,
5556 -outfits |
AS HIS ARMY
SHOWS OFF ITS FIGHTING SKILLS SHAN PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE STATE PARADE THEIR
BEST OUTFITS. IT’S AN
EXPENSIVE AFFAIR FOR AN ARMY STILL FIGHTING A CIVIL WAR. |
|
|
Sound up |
13:25 |
DAY6&7/FS7/CARD1/01_INDIA5004-5008 DAY6&7/FS7/CARD2/ 01_INDIA5010-14 Yawd Serk chatting with
teens in ethnic garb. |
YAWD SERK AND
HIS SOLDIERS ARE CONSIDERED REBELS BY MANY IN
MYANMAR BUT HERE, HE IS LOVED. AND WHAT HE
SAYS IS OBEYED. |
13:37 |
DAY6&7/FS7/CARD2/ 01_INDIA5027-31 YS toasting whiskey with
other commanders. |
NO STRANGER TO
THE DRUG TRADE, HE ONCE FOUGHT
ALONGSIDE THE INFAMOUS DRUG KINGPIN KHUN SA WHO WAS KNOWN FOR TRAFFICKING
HEROIN WORLDWIDE. BUT THESE DAYS
HE SAYS THE TERRITORY HE CONTROLS IS DRUG FREE . |
13:54 |
DRONE PARADE/DCIM2 Drone shots of military
marching DAY8/CARD1/01_INDIA5032-69 YS speech |
Yawd Serk’s
speech DAY8/CARD1/01_INDIA5043 13:17:26:17-13:17:59:19 About the drug
problem. We have policies to clean up drugs. I don’t want drugs to be a
problem here. Whether it is a user or a dealer, we have to be vigilant. If I
find out that you are secretly using or selling drugs in this area. You will
be executed. |
14:16 |
|
MUSIC ANW1177_24_Street-Patrol-4-(60).wav |
14:17 |
Jai Gor in military marches 01_INDIA5092-93 01_INDIA5096-99 01_INDIA5115-57 01_INDIA5126-27- cool dusty
shots of military drills |
THIS POLICY
MIGHT SOUND HARSH BUT IT HAS POPULAR SUPPORT. 01_INDIA5072 13:50:09:13-13:50:33:17
Jai Gor We the Shan people, children and adults, don’t want
addicts here. If the Shan State Army South can clean out all the drugs, we-
young and old, men and women all agree with this policy. JAI GOR IS A
FORMER YABA ADDICT WHO JOINED THE ARMY TO GET CLEAN. 01_INDIA5072 13:43:08:14-13:43:19:12 I would take ten pills a day and 3-4 pills at a time. 13:47:10:04-13:47:25:10 When I went to work, I secretly took the pills without
my family knowing. When they found out, we fought a lot. They were disgusted
with me. HE USED TO LIVE
IN AN AREA RULED BY A PATCHWORK OF MILITIAS. THERE, DEALERS
WERE EASY TO FIND. 13:40:21:13-13:40:37:15 When I bought it, I bought it from a policeman. People
told me he was both a dealer and police. He was part of a militia group and
not afraid of anything. JAI GOR SAYS
DRUGS ARE SO ENMESHED WITH AUTHORITY, ONLY TOUGH POLICIES LIKE YAWD SERK’S
DEATH THREATS CAN STOP IT. |
|
|
Sound up from
military marching. |
15:48 |
DAY6&7/A7S/ Tight shot of interview C0060-61 |
DAY6&7/FS7/CARD1/File
01_INDIA4975 12:03:58:23 -12:04:17:10 12:03:58:23 The world says drugs are a big problem, that the
ethnic armed groups get their money from drugs. But it’s not true.12:04:12:21
We are eradicating drugs. We are not getting money from drugs at all.
12:04:17:10 BUT REPORTS
SUGGEST SOME ARMED GROUPS IN MYANMAR EARN MONEY BY PROVIDING SAFE PASSAGE FOR
THE TRAFFICKERS. I ASK HIM IF IT’S TRUE. |
16:15 |
|
File
01_INDIA4975 12:04:38:10-12:04:40:05 YS: No. If they
pass, we arrest them. 12:14:39:22-12:14:56:00 File
01_INDIA4982 12:32:24:03 PW: What is
source of income if not drugs? File
01_INDIA4975 12:04:17:11-12:04:27:13 We do tax
everything 12:04:19:00 not related to drugs.12:04:21:17 timber, gems,
cattle buffalo. We get plenty of
money from that. 12:04:27:14 MUSIC ANW3047_25_Sword-Fight-3.wav File
01_INDIA4983 12:33:00:15 |
16:33 |
|
If we are
involved with drugs, our nation wouldn’t progress. 12:14:44:06 The
international community wouldn’t have accepted us.12:14:48:13 Because it is
immoral. That’s why I’ve decided against drugs.12:14:56:00 File 01_INDIA4975 12:18:58:06-12:19:06:10 If we see a meth lab, we
shoot it up. No conversation. We get rid of them. |
16:54 |
|
MUSIC or looping first bit of Neutral 2274/6 |
16:54 |
|
BUT THOSE WHO
HAVE WORKED IN ANTI-NARCOTICS HERE ARE MORE SKEPTICAL
[00:00:45] |
|
|
MUSIC ANW2621_01_Altered-Genetics.wav |
17:42 |
DAY8/FS7/CARD1/01_INDIA5136-55 |
YAWD SERK DENIES ANY INVOLVEMENT AND ORDERS HIS RIGHT
HAND MAN TO TAKE US ON A PATROL TO PROVE IT.
MAJOR HONG KHAM
LEADS US TO AN AREA WHERE HE SAYS THEY HAVE DESTROYED METHAMPHETAMINE LABS. |
17:56 |
DAY8/FS7/CARD1/01_INDIA5136-55 DAY8/A7S/C0027-42 |
DAY8/A7S/ C0033 (eng) HK: ...We make
sure that there are no drug traffickers smuggling into our area. That’s why we’re
patrolling. |
18:03 |
DAY8/FS7/CARD1/01_INDIA5136-55 |
HE BRINGS ME TO
A BASE ON THEIR BORDER. |
|
Pailin and Hong
Kham talking at a base with a beautiful view |
DAY8/A7S/CARD1/01_INDIA5158 HK: On the Shan-Thai
border, there were more than 20 meth laboratories. And we were able to raid 9
meth labs. PW: What about the other
eleven? I’m not sure what to say..
It’s in the Burmese-controlled area-- not in our control area. |
18:35 |
YAWD SERK |
01_INDIA4975 12:21:58:23-12:22:18:13 Everyone knows who’s
producing the drugs. It’s in the news. The DEA knows, the Thai Narcotics
Police in Thailand knows, Myanmar government knows. So why isn’t anyone
destroying those labs? That’s what I’d like to know. YAWD SERK POINTS THE FINGER
FIRMLY AT GROUPS ALIGNED WITH THE MYANMAR MILITARY. YAWD SERK 11:59:33:00-11:59:47:16 I think the biggest
producer are the Pro-government Militias allied with the Myanmar’s own army.
They make the most because they can operate in many areas. |
19:11 |
|
MUSIC ANW2755_75_Trompong-Darkness-5-(60).wav |
19:12 |
Animated
graphic Day0/AJE-YGN/private/M4Root/CLIP_007-32 Copy of
constitution 01_INDIA5595-6 https://app.frame.io/presentations/c89070ac-ea67-44b7-b09b-6cda7c3952c2 |
FOR DECADES, THE MYANMAR
MILITARY STRUCK CEASEFIRE DEALS WITH REBELS AND TURNED THEM INTO
PRO-GOVERNMENT MILITIAS BY GIVING THEM MORE AUTONOMY AND TURNING A BLIND EYE
TO THEIR ILLICIT ACTIVITIES. |
19:27 |
Animations-
Location of lab on map and photos of bust with equipment and the stamp. Myanmar Ministry of Information |
A RECENT RAID IN
PRO-GOVERNMENT MILITIA TERRITORY UNCOVERED TWO METH LABS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
TEN TONNES OF METH. AMONG THE SEVEN MILLION
DOLLARS OF LAB EQUIPMENT- THEY FOUND A PILL STAMP WITH THE INFAMOUS WY- THE
SAME AS THE PILLS THE DEALER WE MET WAS SELLING. |
|
GVs of Thailand |
MUSIC |
19:48 |
DAY
13/CARD1/01_INDIA5661-5664 GVs in Thailand DAY
13/CARD3/01_INDIA5758-62 |
BACK IN THAILAND, I TRACK
DOWN JAPHET JAGUI. FROM THE LAHU ETHNIC GROUP,
HE LED A MILITIA ALIGNED WITH THE GOVERNMENT. NOW HE LIVES IN EXILE. |
20:08 |
DAY
13/CARD1/01_INDIA5706-5710 DAY 13/CARD1/01_INDIA5711-18 Pailin talking
to Japhet and looking at his report |
HE SAYS HE WAS NEVER
INVOLVED IN MAKING DRUGS, BUT ADMITS TAX FROM DRUG TRAFFICKING WAS A SOURCE
OF INCOME FOR HIS PEOPLE. |
20:16 |
Japhet getting
in the car then working working in his
garden DAY
13/CARD3/01_INDIA5722-57 |
IN HIS DAY, THE DRUG BEING
TRAFFICKED WAS HEROIN. 01_INDIA5684 23:28:38:10-23:28:49:11 There are rules about how
much and where you have to pay. 23:28:43:04 Whenever they cross into our territory, they need to pay. 23:28:49:11 |
|
|
MUSIC ANW3161_03_Our-Time-Is-Up.wav |
20:32 |
DAY
13/CARD3/01_INDIA5722-5 |
MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS
LATER HE SAYS THE METH BUSINESS OPERATES THE SAME WAY. AT GREAT RISK, HE OFFERS TO
TAKE US TO MEET A CURRENT MILITIA LEADER - IN PRO-GOVERNMENT MILITIA
TERRITORY. |
20:48 |
Tachilek GVS DAY14/CAM
A/JF2A9406, JF2A9392.MOV DAY14/CAM B D_020035-47 DAY14/OSMO Pailin crossing
the border through immigration DAY15/CAMB/ROLL1 D_020003 D_020004 |
WE AGREE TO MEET AT A
BORDER TOWN CALLED TACHILEK. THAI
AUTHORITIES CALL IT THE HUB OF METH TRAFFICKING. |
21:00 |
Pailin walking
across border, past immigration and checkpoint. |
DAY15/CAMB/ROLL1/D_020007.MOV 1:06 PTC We’re now
officially in Tachilek, Myanmar. |
21:05 |
DAY15/CAM A JF2A9412.MOV Now we are
shooting with 5D markiii because we had to pretend to be tourists. So it will
be clip timecodes. These back of
the van conversations are in Eng. |
IT’S A
DANGEROUS TWO HOUR JOURNEY FOR JAPHET. HE’S MADE A LOT OF ENEMIES HERE. JF2A9415.MOV PW: are we now in
paramilitary areas? J: Yes yes. You
look at… the main road. This part is Akha, this part is Lahu. PW: So Akha
militia and Lahu militia. HE SAYS MANY OF
THE MILITIAS HERE ARE INVOLVED IN TRAFFICKING. PW: So where we
just past we paid tax was to the drug lord. |
21:45 |
|
MUSIC ANW3024_18_Hiding-In-Shadows-2.wav |
21:45 |
|
WE PASS THROUGH MORE THAN
FOUR PRO-GOVERNMENT MILITIA TERRITORIES. IT’S NOT SAFE FOR US MAKE
TOO MANY STOPS. JAPHET SAYS THE NEW ROADS
HAVE ACCELERATED THE METH TRADE. JF2A9420.MOV Clip
timecode: 00:00:06 J: Only a few pass
through the mountains with drugs, methamphetamines now. Most past through the
roads. PW: They use the
main roads now. METH LABS HAVE BEEN
DISCOVERED JUST A FEW KILOMETERS OFF THIS HIGHWAY. BUT THIS IS AS CLOSE AS WE
CAN GET WITHOUT RISKING OUR SAFETY. |
22:16 |
|
DAY 13/CARD1/ 01_INDIA5685 23:42:52:16-23:43:23:17 |
22:31 |
|
WE ARRIVE AT A VILLAGE RUN
BY THE PRO-GOVERNMENT MILITIA. JAPHET WARNS US NOT TO ASK
TOO MANY QUESTIONS. LIKE JAPHET, THIS LEADER
SAYS HIS VILLAGE WOULD NOT SURVIVE WITHOUT ALLYING WITH THE GOVERNMENT. |
22:36 |
|
TEMP MUSIC ANW1432_04_Covert-Surveillance.wav |
22:46 |
CAM A JF2A9442.MOV CAM B D_020077.MOV *timecode is for CAM A **CANNOT SHOW FACE OF MILITIA LEADER OR ANYONE THAT’S
NOT ME OR JAPHET. |
[09:43] When we weren’t a pro-government militia, the Myanmar military
would harass us. We would get blamed for everything. But being a people’s
militia means we are now part of them. THE HARASSMENT MAY HAVE STOPPED BUT THE VILLAGE STILL HAS TO FIND A
WAY TO EARN MONEY. [06:35]
The government doesn’t help us with anything. [06:37]We pay for things ourselves. I BROACH THE SENSITIVE TOPIC OF METHAMPHETAMINES. JF2A9442.MOV 3:20 PW: How are they getting the drugs? JF2A9442 [03:30] It doesn’t grow on trees so it’s not like I can look for the tree
it grows on. I don’t know where it all comes from. JAPHET MAKES LIGHT OF A TENSE SITUATION.. AND IT’S TIME TO LEAVE. |
23:40 |
Japhet back in
the van talking with Pailin. |
Bring this grab / Vo back
in BACK IN THE VAN, JAPHET
INSISTS THAT PROVIDING SAFE PASSAGE FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS IS ONE WAY FOR THESE
POORER ETHNIC GROUPS TO SURVIVE. D_020001.MOV Japhet: If a drug gang is
trafficking, they give tax. They have to give tax. But if you help them…
[keep] guard, you get much more money. |
23:58 |
|
MUSIC ANW3105_44_Night-Theme-6.wav |
24:04 |
Back to
interview shot. |
BUT FOR JAPHET, THE REAL CULPRIT IS THE MYANMAR MILITARY. DAY13/CARD1/01_INDIA5690 00:20:19:09-00:20:31:21 In short, as long as the
Myanmar military 00:18:03:11-00:18:40:09 So from generation
to generation, for fugitive drug kingpins, Myanmar has been the only place
where they have found safe haven. The only place they can hide. |
24:32 |
DAY0/20181212-AJE0YGN/CAM
B/C0008-C0032 Pailin in Yangon |
101 EAST MADE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT
MYANMAR’S DRUG ENFORCEMENT DIVISION BUT RECEIVED NO REPLY. |
24:40 |
|
IN THE CAPITAL
YANGON, JOHN WHALEN AGREES IT'S LIKELY MILITARY OFFICERS TURN A BLIND EYE TO
THE METH TRADE BUT DOUBTS THEY ARE MANUFACTURERS. |
|
DAY0/20181212-AJE-YGN/CAM A/8004_0013-0017 This John Whalen interview is shot by a local camera
crew-- it is a two camera interview. The timecodes will be from their cameras
not Gurmeet’s. |
804_0010 00:51:49:10-00:52:17:00 There's certain tacit
approvals. . |
25:02 |
John Whalen |
IT’S A DEADLY CYCLE, DRUGS FUND THE WARS AND THE
WARS PROVIDES THE PERFECT CAMOUFLAGE TO KEEP THE DRUGS FLOWING. 804_007 00:16:44:23-00:17:21:12 |
25:29 |
|
MUSIC |
25:33 |
|
MYANMAR’S CIVIL
WARS, LAWLESSNESS AND CORRUPTION HAVE CREATED THE WORLD’S BIGGEST METH
PROBLEM. FROM LITTLE RED
PILLS, TO TONS OF CRYSTAL METH…. … THERE ARE
INCREDIBLE PROFITS TO BE MADE BECAUSE OF THE UNRELENTING DEMAND. AND WHERE
THERE’S DEMAND, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SUPPLY. |
|
|
END MUSIC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|