Mizzima News

Shweli: The heat is on, on Customs officials by the Burmese military junta. Customs and Border Trade Department officials were arrested yet again yesterday night at the Meng Yu 105-mile Trade Zone checkpoint on China Road.

A trade zone source told Mizzima that three Customs officers were arrested. U Zaw Zaw Han, Customs officer, and U Than Zaw Naing, Deputy Customs officer are still at large and on the run.

Over 13 trucks were inspected and found carrying contraband goods at this check-post twice in November. The arrests started on charges of corruption.

The Customs department found five trucks the first time carrying wood (Sal wood) fossil, Tamalan hardwood, and scented wood. The second time too, they found the trucks carrying the same contraband goods.

At the end of October 2007, almost all customs and border trade department staff at 105-mile checkpoint were sacked and replaced with new staff members with similar corruption charges.

The crackdown on corrupt customs officials started at this 105-mile checkpoint. Some officials from this checkpoint were arrested and interrogated in May 2006 and then the drive spread and covered many others. This resulted in sacking and imprisonment of hundreds of Customs staff. This crackdown was carried out under the direction of and orchestrated by the second most powerful man in the junta hierarchy, Vice Snr. Gen. Maung Aye.

China is the biggest trade partner of Burma and 105-mile checkpoint is the transit point for the biggest trade volume.