A combined team consisting of the Myanmar Police Force and the Maungdaw Customs Department under the supervision of the Rakhine Anti-Illegal Trade Task Force conducted inspections on 14 January.
Officials nabbed 350 boxes of duty-free ESSE cigarettes worth K2.45 million at the edge of the Kanyin creek in Maungdaw township. The action was taken under Customs procedures.
On 15 January, an on-duty team at the 16th milepost Kyaukchaw checkpoint in Mandalay region captured seven goods, including 900 Backpacks worth K22,436,000, without official documents from a Nissan diesel tractor head and a trailer (approximately K70 million) heading from Muse to Mandalay. The action was taken under Customs procedures.
In addition, on 15 and 16 January, a combined team seized a total of 395.8476 tonnes of illegal timbers worth K55,358,816 in the Bago, Toungoo and Thayawady districts. The action was taken under the Forest Law.
On 16 January, at the Yangon International Airport, officials confiscated 13 pairs of Swiss Time couple watches that were hidden in the passenger luggage without official import documents. The action was taken under Customs procedures.
An inspection team led by the head of the Kengtung Customs Department confiscated 1,300 boxes of Sponsor energy drink worth K19.5 million from a 12-wheel truck (approximately K55 million) and the action was taken under Customs procedures.
Therefore, 11 arrests (estimated value of K228,644,816) were made on three consecutive days from 14 to 16 January, according to the Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee. — MNA/MKKS
