Goods Unlawfully Seized from the Public Auctioned at Ngaung Hkar Shi Gate

AYEYARWADDY TIMES July 17 It has been learned that the Customs Department under the interim government auctioned off a variety of essential food items and consumer goods, which were unlawfully seized from the public and traders at the Ngaung Hkar Shi permanent checkpoint in Waw Township, Bago Region, through a competitive bidding system today, July 17. Under the interim government, the military changed the names of used phones, used copiers, vehicle spare parts, tires, batteries, and essential food items, which they had unlawfully seized, to "public property" and sold auction forms from July 13 to 16, with the auction held today. According to those affected, the goods put up for auction were items that traders had to transport after paying millions of kyats in bribes at successive military checkpoints set up along the route, citing security reasons. The interim government's military extorted money along the route and then, upon arrival at the Ngaung Hkar Shi checkpoint, forcibly seized the public's property under the label of "illegal goods." Although Myanmar relies heavily on goods, including essential food items, imported from neighboring Thailand, the public is suffering from shortages of goods and excessively high prices domestically due to the military's illegal seizures and profiteering along the routes. Photo-MOI