The deputy Minister of Home Affairs Major General Aung Soe said 187 people in Maungtaw district were arrested during the past three years for holding Bangladeshi mobile SIM cards. They were charged under the section 8 of the Import Act. He was speaking in the parliament on 10 February in response to a question by a Member of Parliament Daw Khin Saw Wai from Rathedaung. She asked during the fourth regular session of the lower house of parliament, which many people in Maungtaw and Buthitaung were using illegal SIM card and whether the government had plan to take actions against them. The people who were arrested for using SIM card from Bangladesh were charged under the section 8 of the Import Act. Daw Khin Saw Wai said in her question that Bangladeshi SIM were used for communication among those who carried out attacks on Myanmar Border Guard Forces on 9 October. And drug traffickers using similar SIM cards. She said using foreign SIM card is also affecting the income of the country. Major General Aung Soe said Myanmar Police Force together with the local administration officials are working together to prevent people from using SIM card from other country, as a part of their effort to enforce tighter security measures. Even though Myanmar people living in Tachileik, which is on the border with Thailand and Shwe Li which is on the border with China are using SIM cards from the foreign countries they are not facing any punishment. These people also use Internet and electricity lines from the neighbouring countries. Reference: No 1362 12 February, 7 Day Daily.