The Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee held its Work Coordination Meeting 1/2025 at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Commerce in Nay Pyi Taw on 27 February, with an address by Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee. The Vice-Senior General highlighted the following points at the meeting:
- Concerning seizures, smuggled and illegal commodities worth over K458 billion were seized in 19,000 cases during the period of three years and one month from January 2022 to January 2025.
- During the period of December 2024 and January 2025, regarding the seizures of smuggled and illegal commodities in regions and states including Nay Pyi Taw Council Area, Sagaing Region stood first, followed by Mandalay Region and Yangon Region.
- The regional and state task forces should know their routes and conduct surprise checks in addition to regular check day and night by cooperating with the security forces.
- In terms of the seizures of product categories, unlicensed vehicles and illegal goods transport vehicles accounted for the majority of seizures, followed by industrial raw materials and capital goods.
- In 2024, K44.183 billion worth of smuggled and illegal commodities was seized as the most enormous volume in December, and the seizures showed K65 billion in 2022, over K135 billion in 2023 and K223 billion in 2024 when compared to the different years.
- Illegal trade can cause weakness in peace and security, including bribery, violence, crime and terrorism financing.
- Additionally, the negative impacts of illegal economies cause undermining democracy, weakening the rule of law, and significantly affecting the nation’s long-term stability and economic development. These issues also lead to human rights violations and loss of employment opportunities. Therefore, the illegal trade can be exposed than before.
- Similarly, there are distributions of illegal products by exporting via the border camps and keeping them at the warehouses near the camps. Therefore, the officials should take action against such doings.
- Combatting illegal trade strictly is a supportive measure for the State economy and MSMEs.
- Business persons need to pay their taxes in full and conduct regular trade in order to play their part in national development.
- The effective work of combating illegal trade, including prevention and inspection in trade routes, is aimed at protecting entrepreneurs who are engaged in regular trade and MSMEs in the country.
- In combating illegal trade, it is important to ensure the correct information, security of information and safety of informers.
- The financial benefits of reporting illegal exports have been shared between the informant and the person who made the arrest.
- The special task forces for combating illegal trade should conduct proper preparations to avoid unnecessary delays and prevent traffic jams at the trade posts, inspection camps, and security outposts in relevant regions and states.
- Similarly, the import of illegal goods, such as substandard consumer goods, medicines, and food products, poses a risk to consumers, so we must protect the safety of consumers.
Next, the attendees to the meeting reported on the findings of the analysis on illegal trade, the seizure of illegal precursor chemicals, drugs, timbers, vehicles, fuel oil, foodstuff, medicines, and cosmetics, the actions being taken in accordance with the law on these seizures, prevention and control issues, the comparison of exports and imports, the flow of goods at the trade posts, and the trade situation with neighboring countries. After hearing the reports, the Vice-Senior General coordinated the requirements.
Also present were Union Ministers U Win Shein, Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung and U Tun Ohn, Deputy Ministers, the chairman of Revenue Appellate Tribunal, members of the Nay Pyi Taw Council, Permanent-Secretaries, Directors-General, and chairpersons from various organizations, and officials. Additionally, the Chairpersons of the Special Task Forces for Combating Illegal Trade from regions and states participated in the event via videoconferencing.
Source: MWD (28-2-2025)
- Concerning seizures, smuggled and illegal commodities worth over K458 billion were seized in 19,000 cases during the period of three years and one month from January 2022 to January 2025.
- In 2024, K44.183 billion worth of smuggled and illegal commodities was seized as the most enormous volume in December, and the seizures showed K65 billion in 2022, over K135 billion in 2023 and K223 billion in 2024 when compared to the different years.
- Illegal trade can cause weakness in peace and security, including bribery, violence, crime and terrorism financing.
- There are distributions of illegal products by exporting via the border camps and keeping them at the warehouses near the camps. Therefore, the officials should take action against such doings.
- Business persons need to pay their taxes in full and conduct regular trade in order to play their part in national development.
- The special task forces for combating illegal trade should conduct proper preparations to avoid unnecessary delays and prevent traffic jams at the trade posts, inspection camps, and security outposts in relevant regions and states.