966: Patrick Winn | Wa State: When a Drug Cartel Becomes a Country

Formation

Wa State, located in the mountains on the borders of Burma, Thailand, and China, operates as a self-sufficient nation despite being unrecognized internationally. Patrick Winn explains that the Wa people transitioned from poppy cultivation to methamphetamine production, generating billions of dollars in revenue 1. Historically, the Wa were known for their headhunting practices, which they abandoned in the 1960s to unite against external threats like communist China 2.

   

CIA Involvement

The CIA became interested in Wa State during the Cold War, using it as a base for raids into communist China. They set up listening posts to intercept Chinese communications and recruited local warlords for intelligence operations 3. This relationship has evolved, with Wa State now being a target of both the CIA and the DEA due to its narcotics trade.

   

Geography

Wa State's geographical isolation in the mountainous regions of Myanmar has played a crucial role in its development. The terrain, similar to the Rockies, is ideal for opium poppy cultivation, which later shifted to methamphetamine production 4. Unlike Mexican cartels, Wa State's narcotics trade is driven by a nationalist agenda to fund their defense and autonomy 5.