Myanmar’s violent military junta is poised to hold massive auctions of illicit timber to replenish its coffers, according to a report just out by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).

EIA says the junta has announced the sale of 12,500 tons (11,340 tonnes) of timber, including large amounts of precious teak much prized for use on luxury yachts around the world as decking and fixtures.

Two sales were set for September, one took place on 16 September and the other on 30 September.

The EIA warns potential buyers in Canada, the EU, UK and US, and any buyer using US dollars, that any purchases they might make would automatically break current economic sanctions imposed by those countries.

In addition to Europe’s sanctions, any timber imports to the EU would automatically also be in breach of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which requires due diligence to trace all imported wood back to the point of cutting to block illegal timber from entering the market. EU member states have adopted a common position that Myanmar timber cannot be imported in compliance with the EUTR. For the same reasons, imports into the UK would breach the UK Timber Regulation, the report says.

Previous auctions of timber to benefit the junta have been organised and conducted by the Myanmar Timber Enterprise (MTE), the State-run entity which controls all timber sales from the country