Bear Bile, Tiger Parts Sold in Myanmar Markets

Myanmar's Booming Illegal Wildlife Trade
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Militia leader and alleged former drug lord Sei Leun rules an autonomous fiefdom nestled in the hills of northern Myanmar (Burma). His hilltop residence is seen here in a photograph taken by Karl Ammann in summer 2005.

Möng La, a town in the region, used to be known as "Las Vegas in the Jungle" for its many casinos that catered mostly to Chinese gamblers and tourists.

But most of the casinos had to close in 2005 after the Chinese side of the border was shut down by the government.

Now it appears that wildlife trade has replaced drug dealing and casino gambling as one of the most lucrative economic activities in the area. Internet gambling has also become a major industry.

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—Photograph by Karl Ammann
 

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