Khun Sa, the famous Shan warlord, had a remarkable net worth of $5 billion. Known as the Opium King, Khun Sa built his fortune through opium trading in the Golden Triangle, leading the Shan United Army and the Mong Tai Army. His name, meaning ‘Prince Prosperous,’ truly reflected the immense wealth he accumulated during his life.
Key facts:
Khun Sa was a Shan warlord who gained notoriety as the "Opium King" for his involvement in opium trading in the Golden Triangle.
He served as the leader of the Shan United Army and the Mong Tai Army, leading a small army of a few hundred men.
Khun Sa took control of a large area in Wa and Shan states and established a base for opium smuggling in northern Thailand.
In 1981, there was an attempt to assassinate Khun Sa at the insistence of the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
He was charged by a New York court in 1989 for attempting to import 1,000 tons of heroin, but he was never arrested and lived the remainder of his life in Rangoon.
