As illegal trade is a hindrance to the development of manufacturing domestic products, it is necessary to eradicate the illegal import of commodities and deterrent action should be taken against the offenders in the illegal trade process.
Micro-, small- and medium-scale enterprises at home are difficult in the long run to compete with the inflow of imported commodities at prices as illegally imported goods do not pay customs duty. As such, the products of MSMEs need to have the chance to be introduced to consumers. On the other hand, it is necessary to effectively hinder and eradicate the illegally imported goods which are harmful to the economic development of the State.
The government has formed the Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee in order to wipe off the illegal trade process. Some businesspersons illegally import goods without paying any taxes and accepting the levying of their goods whether are shown in the import declaration forms or not.
The steering committee assigned the illegal trade eradication special task forces and one-stop service departments comprising officials from relevant departments such as the Forest Department, the Customs Department, the Myanmar Police Force, and so on to check illegally imported goods at the combined checkpoints on the route of illegal trades in regions and states.
That is why the eradication of illegal trade must be a tool to improve the legal trade process for booming the micro-, small- and medium-scale enterprises the government is giving encouragement. Consequently, the development of the MSME sector will help the State economy develop in the future.
Thanks to their efforts within the nine-month period, members from the task forces and relevant teams could show off their brilliant skills in eradicating the illegal trade worth more than K54.6 billion in 3,095 cases in regions and states, especially in Mandalay Region and Kayin State.
In the working process, the special task forces need to exchange information with nearby task forces in discharging the assigned duties to chase the illegal trade offenders who dodge the routes leading to the combined checkpoints in various ways and means not to accept inspection of the special task forces over their illegally imported goods.
Moreover, departmental personnel need to avoid the malpractice of ignoring the acts of illegal trade offenders. In some cases, conveying the illegally imported goods escaped from the checkpoint of special task forces as some service personnel does not dutifully serve their assignments by taking briberies from the illegal traders. It is one of the inappropriate acts for growing illegal trade measures. As such, service personnel should loyally serve their assignments.
That is why the eradication of illegal trade must be a tool to improve the legal trade process for booming the micro-, small- and medium-scale enterprises the government is giving encouragement. Consequently, the development of the MSME sector will help the State economy develop in the future.
