State and regional governments, special task forces, and MPF need to conduct investigations and arrest them to be taken action under the law.
Deputy Prime Minister Union Minister for Planning and Finance U Win Shein highlighted that the Customs Department, as well as Mandalay Region, managed to seize the most enormous volumes of illegal and smuggled commodities in May and June 2024, followed by those of Sagaing Region and Shan State.
The Deputy Prime Minister delivered a speech at the Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee meeting 3/2024 at the Ministry of Commerce in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday afternoon.
At the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister, who is in the capacity of the Vice-Chairman of the Steering Committee, explained that under the leadership of the steering committee, commodities of illegal trade worth K275.126 billion were seized in 13,550 cases up to June 2024.
He also clarified that most of the seized commodities were unregistered vehicles and vessels, raw materials, and consumer goods.
He continued that relevant departments and special task forces nabbed narcotic drugs valued at K303.814 billion from January to December 2023 and K127.978 billion from January to June 2024.
He noted that some countries, including Myanmar, are weak in exercising Non-Tariff Measure-NTMs to import quality products. A total of 26 standard scheming technological committees have issued 819 standards with the approvals of the National Skill Standards Authority. However, these standards cannot be applied to controlling imported goods due to the lack of mandatory standards.
He emphasized that the Ministry of Commerce has formed a task force to exercise Non-Tariff Measure-NTMs in June 2024, urging all relevant departments to issue notifications for practising the standards of imported commodities.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that due to information from responsible people, illegal commodities, including timbers, industrial goods, consumer goods and foodstuffs, as well as unregistered vehicles worth K5.376 billion, were seized in 168 cases in May and June 2024. He added that more than K1.168 billion was awarded to informants in the 2023-24 financial year, and K569.132 million rewards will be allocated up to June 2024-25 FY.
He stressed that it is necessary to reduce illegal trade measures and raise tax rates for imported goods in a set period to enable domestic industries to stand for long-term existence. He highlighted that officials need to continue the implementation of the e-Lock phase 2 process so as to control illegal trade measures.
Moreover, the Deputy Prime Minister urged all to allocate rewards for dutiful service personnel and responsible people as quickly as possible for their actions in the prevention of illegal trade.
Secretary of the Steering Committee Deputy Minister for Commerce U Min Min reported on accomplishments in the minutes of the meeting 2/2024 and the undertaking of the steering committee.
Steering committee members Union Minister U Tun Ohn, Deputy Ministers Maj-Gen Ko Lay and Lt-Gen Ni Lin Aung discussed findings in reviewing the illegal trade measures, taking action against offenders for seizures of narcotic drugs, arms and ammunition, prohibited chemicals, unregistered vehicles, excise measures, fuel, foodstuffs, medicines and cosmetics, commodity flows at trade camps and illegal sales of commodities online.
The Deputy Prime Minister also coordinated discussions before concluding the meeting. — MNA/TTA
