UK-based Sunseeker International and its affiliate Sunseeker USA Sales pleaded guilty in a US court earlier this week to two violations of the Lacey Act for using illegally obtained Burmese teak on yachts that it imported into the United States, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed in a press release.
Sunseeker, which manufactures luxury performance motor yachts and superyachts, agreed to pay a fine of US$200,000, and to implement a compliance plan, among other penalties.
“Congress amended the Lacey Act in 2008 to prohibit the importation of illegally harvested timber,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
“By enforcing the law, we ensure a level playing field for companies that follow the law. Timber trafficking is the third most lucrative form of transnational crime, so enforcing the law keeps money from flowing into criminal enterprises.”
Sunseeker manufactures its vessels in the UK and sells these internationally, including in the United States.
Sunseeker pleaded guilty to using Burmese teak on its yachts, specifically, a teak balcony door intended to be incorporated into a yacht, and teak parts incorporated into two yachts priced at approximately US$2.98 million and US$1.07 million, respectively.
The DOJ said the illegal logging of teak in Myanmar has been a known problem since at least 2017. Both the US and the UK have imposed sanctions against Myanmar and the US has sanctioned the Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE), the sole authorised seller of export teak harvested in Myanmar.
US sanctions prohibit all transactions by US persons or those transiting the US that involve any property or interest in property associated with the MTE. The UK has concluded that timber harvesting, specifically Teak, has financially supported dictatorships in Myanmar.
