Cattle Traders Arrested at Border

Narinjara News
12/27/2006

Eight Arakanese cattle traders were arrested on Saturday at the border, as they were attempting to smuggle cattle to Bangladesh via sea, report sources at the border.

The Burmese border security force, Nasaka, arrested the eight traders as they were crossing the Naff River on a cattle machine boat from Burma to Bangladesh.

All the traders are from U Kin Village in Kyauk Pru Township, located on Rambree Island. They were identified as Ngwe Chay, aged 45, Min Oo, 55, U Khin Nu Maung, aged 37, Thant Zaw, aged 28, Khin Maung, aged 23, Kyaw Zan Aye, 45, Than Chay, 32, and Kyaw Than, 36.

According to a source, the traders were carrying 25 bulls on the boat to sell in Bangladesh markets, where Burmese cattle are in high demand for sacrifices for the religious festival Eid ul Azha.

The Muslim religious festival will be held in Bangladesh on 1 January, 2007.

In Arakan State, many Arakanese cattle traders become involved in cattle smuggling to Bangladesh during Eid ul Azha, as the profits from the cattle trade are higher than during any other period.

The trade however, is also risky, as Burma's armed forces as well as sea pirates sometimes kill traders as they are crossing the sea to Bangladesh to export the cattle

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