The number of legally imported mobile handsets was only about 80,000 despite the state-owned telecoms service provider, Myanmar Post and Telecommunications (MPT), releasing about 4 million SIM cards in the 2013-14 fiscal year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
“One can easily guess that handsets are being smuggled into our country,” told Major Than Tun Myint, a military representative to the parliament.
Between November 2012 and June 2014, over 17,000 mobile handsets, with an estimated value of K971.8 million, have been seized.
“We have planned to expand mobile enforcement teams to combat illicit trade,” Dr Pwint San, deputy minister for commerce, said.
The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology said it will also provide information as necessary to form more mobile enforcement teams.
Since July 2, mobile enforcement teams are targeting five international ports in Yangon comprising Htee Dan, Asia World, Myanma Industrial, Bo Aung Kyaw and Sule ports, as well as Yangon International Airport.
During the timeframe the mobile teams have been active, the Central Committee has seized illegal goods worth K15,461 billion ($15 billion), while regional and state governments have seized over K2.051 billion worth of illicit goods.
