Tamarind Jars and Transnational Organized Crime: The Shadowy World of Southeast Asian Narcotics Trafficking A recent bust by Thai authorities has shed light on a Vietnamese led gang that used Thailand as a transit point to smuggle crystal methamphetamine hidden in tamarind paste jars to Japan.
This operation is an example of the complex and far reaching nature of transnational organized crime in Southeast Asia, where narcotics trafficking has been escalating across the region.
The gang employed multiple layers to avoid detection.