Arrest of customs agents brings Muse trade to a halt

Trade has ground a halt in Muse, a key commercial hub on Myanmar’s border with China, since the arrest late last week of 23 customs clearance agents, according to local traders.

The border crossing, which routinely sees more than 150 trucks carrying goods and produce in and out of the country on a daily basis, has been largely silent since last Friday, when the detained agents were taken in for questioning, the traders said.

“If the agents don’t go to the places where they work or to the customs offices, our business basically stops,” said one importer who spoke to Myanmar Now on Wednesday.

While all but four of the agents have since been released, none have been willing to return to work due to fears that they could be arrested again, he added.

It was not clear why the agents were detained, but it was rumoured that it might have something to do with the political situation in the country, which has seen unprecedented resistance to military rule since last year.

“Some people are saying that they were funding the revolutionary groups,” said one business owner who asked not to be named.

However, another source suggested a different reason for the arrests, which were reportedly made after the agents were invited to a “meeting” with a military official.


It was possible, according to the information officer of a local armed group, that the detainees were taken to a tactical base near Muse’s Milestone 105 commercial zone in order to extract money from them.

“They will release them as soon as they get their bribes. They do it all the time. They always find ridiculous excuses to arrest people with money so they can make them pay for their release,” said the information officer.

Myanmar Now was unable to reach junta officials for comment on the arrests, and attempts to contact the released detainees were also unsuccessful.

Business owners also noted that “checkpoints” set up by regime forces have proliferated since last year’s coup, which many have blamed for a downturn in cross-border trade.

Ministry of Commerce records show that Muse saw more than $1 billion in trade between April and September of last year, but just $868 million during the same period this year.

Myanmar’s exports to China include rice, legumes, and other produce, while its exports consist mainly of manufactured goods such as electronics and household appliances, as well as raw materials for the textile industry, according to traders.

Besides customs duties and bribes to junta officials, traders say they are also required to pay “taxes” to armed groups active in the area. They add that clashes and the risk of arrest have also had a major impact on their ability to do business.