Narinjara news

Onions seized at Burmese security gate

Sittwe, 28 November: A large consignment of onions brought from Burma proper to Arakan (Rakhine) State was confiscated at the Nasaka security gate No. 25 at Ann Pass, close to the Magwe Division, our correspondent writes quoting a local businessman.

On 12 November 02, a consignment of about ten thousand kilos of onions was being carried in a truck by Mr U San Tin 36, Assistant Supervisor of the Department of Agriculture at Ann Township and Ms Daw Moe Moe 47 of Kanthaya Quarter of Meikthila Town in Burma Proper. The consignment was headed towards Arakan (Rakhine) State in the western part of Burma. While the truck was on its way to the Nasaka gate at Ann where the Western Command is headquartered, the guards at the gate stopped the truck and later seized its contents.

The carriers with the trucker Mr U Saw Win and his helper Naing Lin Kyaw were detained for two hours at the gate. Later each of the men was made to pay kyat 10,000 as bribe to the guards. The consignment of onions was seized for the consumption of the military personnel of the Western Command without being handed over to the customs official, which is the legal procedure in such cases, the businessman added.

It is worth mentioning that some basic commodities including rice, cooking oil, dry chilli and onion have been declared banned for free trading in Arakan State beginning October. As a result the prices of essentials have recorded a sharp increase in price in Arakan State, encouraging traders to do a brisk business in these commodities ‘smuggled’ in from Burma Proper. At present the price of a kilo of onion is selling at kyat 500 and garlic kyat 1,000 in Sittwe, the capital of the western state of Burma. .#