Illegal trade: special task forces crackdown illegal trade activities

Under the supervision of the Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee, special task forces have initiated 16 cases and confiscated smuggled goods worth 404.9 million Kyats, including teak and fuels, in the last three days from March 29th, 30th and 31st.

Customs Department officials seized 10,000 pairs of shoes valued at 70 million Kyats from a container at the Asia World Container Terminal on 29 March. On the same day in Lewe Township, an unlicensed Luojia 110 motorcycle worth 300,000 Kyats. On 30 March, 4,084 gallons of diesel and 561 gallons of gasoline, valued at 52.9 million Kyats, along with vehicles used for transportation, including a Hino fuel Bowser, Isuzu Fuel Bowser, KIA Fuel Bowser, Hino Tractor Head, and tank trailer with a total worth of 220 million Kyats were seized in Mandalay Region.

Goods worth 18.4 million Kyats, including edible palm oil and a Mitsubishi Fuso Canter used for transportation, valued at 30 million Kyats, at the Thanlwin Bridge checkpoint in Mon State. The smuggled teak, hardwood, and other wood products worth 2.1 million Kyats in Toungoo and Pyay districts.

On 31st March, the committee confiscated an unlicensed Hino Truck and Nissan Diesel Truck valued at K10 million and arrested the suspects following export/import laws in Toungoo. On the same day, the committee seized smuggled teak worth 1.1 million Kyats and detained the suspects according to forest laws in Bago and Toungoo districts. Therefore, a total of 16arrests were made on three consecutive days from 29th, 30th and 31st of March, 2024, with an estimated value of 404.940 million Kyats as reported by the Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee.