On October 29, the UK, Canada, and EU imposed coordinated sanctions on military-affiliated entities and individuals from Myanmar.
The UK sanctions targeted four companies involved in the supply of jet fuel: Asia Sun Group, Swan Energy Company Limited, Myan-Oil Company Limited, and Rich Ray Trading Company Limited. It also sanctioned Progress Technology Support Company (a.k.a. Royal Shune Lei Co) and King Royal Technologies Company Limited for trading in restricted goods and technologies.
Canada imposed sanctions on U Charlie Than, SAC’s Union Minister of Industry, who had already been sanctioned by the U.S. and EU. Canada also sanctioned U Nay Aung, founder and former chairman of United Amara Bank (UAB). The bank, along with A Bank, was mentioned in a recent UN special rapporteur report for facilitating payments for the Myanmar Military on jet fuel purchases. U Nay Aung is also a founder of IGE, which according to a backgrounder from the Canadian Government, is an entity involved supplying weapons and military equipment to the Myanmar military. IGE is included in Canada’s latest sanctions list, alongside three other entities: King Royal Technologies Company Ltd. (a telecommunications company providing satellite services to the military), Royal Shune Lei Company Ltd. (which has contributed to the supply of arms to the military), and Swan Energy Company Limited.
The EU imposed sanctions on Colonel Saw Chit Thu (previously sanctioned by the UK) and his subordinates, Mote Thon and Tin Win, for their involvement in the Shwe Kokko cyber scam hub. Colonel Saw Chit Thu, a founder of Karen National Army (KNA) (formerly a Border Guard Force for the Myanmar military), played a key role in the construction of Shwe Kokko, a hub notorious for human trafficking, and for housing one of Southeast Asia's largest scam centers collectively responsible for stealing an estimated US$64 billion annually. The scam operations in the area seem to have expanded even further, following the relocation of scam businesses driven away from Northern Shan during Operation 1027. The EU also sanctioned Chit Linn Myaing Group (CLM), a company owned by Saw Chit Thu, for profiting from these illicit activities.
Since the coup in 2021, the UK, Canada, and EU have been the most active foreign sanctioning bodies after the US. Canada has sanctioned 137 targets across nine rounds, the European Union has sanctioned 114 targets across ten rounds, and the United Kingdom has sanctioned 67 targets across 19 rounds.
