Mray Bon: Shrimp farm owners in Mraybon Township in Arakan State are facing serious problems in continuing their business because many local agents are collecting tolls from them in league with the local military junta authorities.

"We are really facing a problem in running our business because many local miscreants are collecting tolls from us. We are unable to refuse their demands because the miscreants are backed by local authorities, including the Burmese Army and the police," a shrimp farm owner said.

Many shrimp farm owners from the villages of Kan Thin Gree, Pauk Thu Thaung, Tharat Thaung, Ngan Thaug, Ray Khong Shin, Kyauk Pyar, Sit Thara, Ray Ni Gri, and Thun Bong Chaung are now facing this problem.

"The leader of the miscreants Daung Maung asked for 5 lakh Kyats from shrimp farm owners and the toll had to be paid within 15 days. If any owner fails to pay, he is threatened with the destruction of the shrimp farm," he said.

Every shrimp farm owner in the region has had to pay the toll to Daung Maung because they are afraid to have the embankments on their farms broken by the miscreants.

"We went to the police station to complain, but the police officer was unwilling to look into and solve the problem. I heard the police officer regularly receives money from the miscreant group," he said.

According to a local source, the shrimp farm owners complained of the extortion to the higher authorities in Arakan State, but they are yet to take any action.

Daung Maung's group has good connections with the local army authorities and they are sharing the money collected from local shrimp farm owners between them.

"Local people know how to allocate the toll money among the police, army officials and the agent after collection and it is a good business for them," he said.

The shrimp husbandry area of Mraybon Township has been flourishing, and many local people are working in the shrimp farming business, but they are now facing problems because of the extortion and corruption of the local authorities.