Myanmar Universal Bank, also known as MUB, was reportedly shut down by the government for:

• Money laundering
• Financing of amphetamine laboratories.
• Producing counterfeit Burmese currency.

Authorities believe that U Tin Sein, also known as U Sein Tin, who is only 40 years old and speaks only halting Burmese, is merely the nominee of the reputed beneficial owner, Commander Wei Hsueh-Kang [UID 13694], also known as Somboon Kadumporn*, a tier 1 drug kingpin who leads the United WA (UWSA) State Southern Military Command. He is accused of being a major opium and heroin trafficker.

Wei, who is wanted in both the US and in neighboring Thailand, was classified a drug kingpin in 2000 by President Bush, under the 1999 Foreign Narcotics Designation Kingpin Act. The United States is offering a $2m reward for any information that leads to his capture under the authority of an arrest warrant pending in US District Court in New York, where he has charges pending against him that could result in life imprisonment, a $4m fine, and a judgment for $103m.

Was this arrest a signal to Wei? We cannot say, but World-Check will be watching to see whether the Myanmar government, which has in the past closed Burmese financial institutions deemed to be money laundering centres by the US, is finally getting serious about financial crime.                     _________________________________________________________________________________________________________                * See the World-Check profile for additional aliases.