Burmese naval personnel stationed at the harbour at Soe Mae Kyi in western Pharonger Islands south of Sittwe have been collecting large toll from both legal and illegal machine boats for a high-ranking naval officer, report machine boat owners and traders.

"The naval officers collect half a million kyat from one machine boat for a trip to Bangladesh with smuggled cattle. The toll is collected by naval officers at the base on the instruction of Lieutenant Colonel Kyaw Thiha," one boat owner said.

The lower-ranking officers collect the toll not only from cattle smuggling boats, but also from other smuggling boats, such as those taking rice and timber to Bangladesh. The money collected is being provided to Lieutenant Colonel Kyaw Thiha.

"The naval officers at the base announced illegally and openly that smugglers must pay 500,000 kyat to the naval base per machine boat if they want to export contraband like cattle, rice, alcohol, and timber to Bangladesh via sea," he added.

On 12 September, a cattle smuggling boat loaded with 100 cattle from Kyauk Pru Township was seized by the navy at the base, but naval officers released the boat along with the cattle after collecting 500,000 kyat from the smugglers.

The naval officers have also been collecting toll from ferry, fishing, and cargo boats traveling inland waterways.

"All machine boats have to pay the navy at least 10,000 to 100,000 kyat whenever they cross near the base. Even though the boats are traveling with legal goods the naval officers force them to pay the toll. If it is not paid, the officers will cause problems and will hold the machine boats at the base," the boat owner said.

It was also learnt that all naval forces stationed around Arakan State have been collecting unofficial tolls from cargo, ferry, and machine boats and Arakanese people are suffering from the heavy fees collected. Because of this, many people have taken to calling the Burmese Navy in Arakan the "pirates with a government license".