Treasury Sanctions Arms Dealers for Providing Support to Burma’s Military Regime

Treasury Sanctions Arms Dealers for Providing Support to Burma’s Military Regime

WASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated three individuals and one entity connected to Burma’s military regime pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14014. Following the February 1, 2021, coup that overthrew Burma’s democratically elected civilian government, the military has committed numerous atrocities against people in Burma, including the violent repression of political dissent, the killing of over 2,300 innocent civilians, and displacement of more than 900,000 people.

Burma’s military regime has continued its severe oppression and acts of violence against people in Burma.  The United States will hold accountable those who enable and facilitate these heinous acts. The sanctions announced today target those who profit from the oppressive actions of the regime by operating in the defense sectors of Burma’s economy and providing arms and other material support to Burma’s military.  These sanctions do not target the people of Burma, who have suffered under the brutal rule of the regime for far too long.

“Today we are targeting the support networks and war profiteers that enable weapons procurement for Burma’s military regime,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “Treasury will continue to take action to degrade the Burmese military’s ability to commit brutal acts of violence against the people of Burma.”

Today, the Department of State also designated former Burma police chief and deputy Home Affairs minister Than Hlaing under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2022, for his involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely the extrajudicial killing of peaceful protestors in February 2021.

ARMS DEALERS

Aung Moe Myint is a Burmese national and businessman with close ties to the Burmese military and is the son of a Burmese military officer. Since the February 2021 coup, Aung Moe Myint has facilitated various arms deals and weapons purchases on behalf of Burma’s military.  Aung Moe Myint was sanctioned by the European Union on February 21, 2022, and by the United Kingdom on March 25, 2022.  Additionally, Aung Moe Myint has used the company he owns, Dynasty International Company Limited, to facilitate the Burmese military’s procurement of various weapons, armaments, missiles, and aircraft.

Aung Moe Myint is being designated pursuant to E.O. 14014 for operating in the defense sector of the Burmese economy.

Dynasty International Company Limited is a Burmese company that was founded by Aung Moe Myint and has been used to facilitate arms deals on behalf of the Burmese military, to include the import of aircraft parts.  

Dynasty International Company Limited is being designated pursuant to E.O. 14014 for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Aung Moe Myint.

Hlaing Moe Myint is a Burmese national who jointly established Dynasty International Company Limited with his brother, Aung Moe Myint, and was a director of Dynasty International Company Limited until February 2022.

Myint is being designated pursuant to E.O. 14014 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, of Dynasty International Company Limited.

Myo Thitsar is a Burmese national who is a director of Dynasty International Company Limited and coordinated arms deals between Dynasty International Company Limited and a major foreign military equipment exporter.

Myo Thitsar is being designated pursuant to E.O. 14014 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Dynasty International Company Limited.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today’s action, pursuant to E.O. 14014, all property and interests in property of the persons named above that are in the United States, or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.

Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or otherwise exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

U.S. sanctions need not be permanent. Sanctions are intended to bring about a positive change of behavior. Consistent with the findings of the 2021 Treasury Sanctions Review, the removal of sanctions is available for persons designated under E.O. 14014 who take concrete and meaningful actions to restore civilian government and disassociate themselves from the military regime in Burma, as well as the military’s financers and suppliers outside of Burma.

For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here.

For information concerning the process for seeking removal from any OFAC list, including the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897. Additional information regarding sanctions programs administered by OFAC can be found here.

For identifying information on the individuals sanctioned today, click here.

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