While border trade has temporarily stopped due to regional security conditions, illegal exports and imports have increased, said Vice-Chairman of the State Ad ministration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win. He made the remarks at a meeting of the Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee on May 26.
He remarked that with the emergence of illegal trade, arrests have also increased, and that if security forces and inspection teams conduct systematic and effective inspections, the fight against illegal trade will be more effective. Additionally, he stated that Myanmar only ranks nine out of ten ASEAN members in terms of fighting illegal trade, indicating that more effort must be put into this effort.
In the three years and four months since the establishment of the Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee, illegal trade worth Ks. 576.541 billion has been detected and seized. The seizures were mostly unlicensed vehicles and motorcycles, but also included investment-related imports, machinery and equipment, and other supplies, according to Vice-Senior General Soe Win.
