Vice-Senior General Soe Win noted that the committee should supervise more strictly to seize the illegal trade than before, following the instruction of the Prime Minister.
The Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee held the 3/2025 meeting at the Ministry of Commerce in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday afternoon, with an address by Chairman of the Steering Committee Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win.
In his address, the Vice-Senior General pointed out that only through exposing, arresting and eliminating the various methods of the illegal trade can reduce such illegal activities. Regarding the illegal trade, the monthly seizure records of the Nay Pyi Taw Council, task forces of the regions and states, are increasing every month. Such an increase in seizures shows the entry of illegal goods into the country through various ways. Therefore, all should carry out stronger cooperation in combatting illegal trade.
He continued that efforts must be made not to create imbalances in export and import in normal trade and in certain areas of border trade, and to ensure a balance between export and import values.
In the process of seizing illegal goods, due to territorial and security conditions, some border trade posts are temporarily closed. For such closures, normal trade is being primarily carried out through maritime routes.
Similarly, although border trade is currently being restricted, there remain weaknesses and loopholes through which illegal exports and imports continue to take place via various methods. In July, based on the reports made to the leading committee, it was discovered that 144 vehicles carrying illegal goods from the Myawady border were attempting to unlawfully pass through Hpa-an to Yangon during the night. Therefore, the relevant task forces and OSS staff blocked the road and arrested 132 vehicles in Kayin and Mon states.
Regarding this case, the departmental staff and members of combined teams did not seize the goods, although they knew of the case and also did not scrutinize the illegal goods carried by the vehicles. The State did not receive the proper income, and they committed malpractices for their own sake. Therefore, they will take action effectively.
He added that all the staff were instructed to carry out their duties in combating illegal trade in accordance with the law, and those who failed to follow the loyalty to the work processes, the dignity of the employee and rules and regulations will face legal actions seriously.
The employee should prioritise the organisation’s interests when comparing with individual interests, and put the affairs and interests of the State in the first place when comparing with the organizations. Therefore, the employees should not be manipulated by the people who run illegal trade. The relevant officials also should supervise them successively.
He then highlighted the speech of the SAC Chairman, Prime Minister, made at the National Economic Development Coordination Meeting on 2 July 2025 regarding with MSME sector.
He continued that during the three years and six months duration from January 2022 to June 2025, the smuggled and illegal commodities worth K663.919 billion were seized in 25,231 cases. With regard to seizures in Myanmar, the Vice-Senior General noted that the Yangon Region Illegal Trade Eradicating Task Force stood first for the seizure of smuggled and illegal commodities in May and June, followed by the Shan State and Sagaing Region. Among them, he continued that unregistered vehicles and vessels carrying illegal commodities were seized as the most enormous volume, followed by raw materials and capital goods.
He added that the staff for supervision must be qualified in their respective fields and should use modern tools rather than their eyes in inspecting the construction materials and other goods entered officially, to determine whether they meet the standards and quality set by the relevant ministries.
On 17 July, the Nyaung Khar Shay inspection camp was successfully opened in Waw township of Bago Region. Four trucks and a small vehicle can be scrutinized at the same time in the import inspection site, while two trucks and two small vehicles at the same time in the export inspection site. Such action can reduce the duration of the heavy traffic and inspection section.
He also notified the need to be aware of security-related measures at the inspection camp and to cooperate with the security forces systematically.
The Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT) expressed that the illegal trade is on the rise annually at a value of no less than US$460 billion.
In April, the export value from Myawady trade zone to Thailand was US$12.592 million, and the import value from Thailand was $21.982 million, and the difference was over $9 million. According to the data, the export value from Thailand was $113.97 million, and the acceptance import value was only over $6 million, so the difference was over $107 million. Therefore, the two governments coordinate to maintain the same trade ratio, and the relevant inspection teams should perform their duties loyally.
Due to such imbalances in trade value, the State faces a loss of millions of US dollar in revenue. The State also faces losses in the use of foreign currency due to the cooperation of disloyal government employees regarding the foreign currency used for these illegal exports and imports, and the foreign currency generated. Moreover, the foreign currency gained through these illicit trades causes losses through illegal financial systems such as cryptocurrency, further harming the country’s legitimate access to foreign exchange. The illegal goods also give rise to black market trading and the influx of substandard imported products, which negatively affect domestic consumers. These issues lead to price instability, undermine the competitiveness of local businesses, reduce job opportunities, decrease production capacity, and result in a decline in exports. Therefore, consideration must be given to these impacts, and relevant special task forces are urged to take strong, decisive action to expose and seize illegal goods.
He then mentioned the need to conduct public awareness programmes for reports to the relevant officials as the informers from Hpa-an of Kayin State did not report to the relevant regional officials, but to the leading committee. Such action showed that the informers did not have full trust in the regional officials. Therefore, all should make efforts not to destroy the trust of the informers in combating the illegal trade.
The Secretary of the Steering Committee reported on the accomplishment of the minutes of the 2/2025 meeting and the work process of the steering committee. Letters sent to the steering committee were presented at the meeting.
Member of the steering committee Union ministers, the Chairman of the Revenue Appellate Tribunal and officials discussed reviews on illegal trade, seizures of prohibited chemicals, drugs, arms and ammunition, timber, vehicles, fuel, foodstuffs and cosmetics, swift addressing the cases, gathering of information, export and import measures, commodity flow at trade camps and bilateral trade with neighbouring countries.
The meeting ended with the remarks by the Vice-Senior General.
MNA/KTZH
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