US federal prosecutors have charged UK-based yacht builder Sunseeker International Ltd and its US subsidiary, Sunseeker USA Sales, with environmental offences linked to the use of teak sourced from Myanmar.
The charges follow an investigation by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), which says it first identified Burmese teak in Sunseeker’s supply chain in 2018. According to the organisation, teak traded in breach of the EU Timber Regulation had entered the company’s manufacturing operations that year. The agency later submitted a formal report on Sunseeker’s US distributor to the US Department of Justice.
Sanctions against the state-owned Myanmar Timber Enterprise (MTE), which controls Myanmar’s timber exports, have effectively halted most legal imports of natural teak from Myanmar into the EU and the United States.
The latest case follows earlier legal action in the UK. In November 2024, Sunseeker International pleaded guilty to three criminal charges under the UK Timber Regulation relating to illegal timber imports from Myanmar. Bournemouth Crown Court fined the company £358,759.64.
US prosecutors have now filed two criminal charges under the Lacey Act, which prohibits the trade of wildlife and plant products sourced in violation of US or foreign laws.
“The current proceeding in the United States represents a conclusion of matters relating to the procurement of teak from Myanmar, reflecting the fact that parts containing the teak in question were imported into the US,” a Sunseeker spokesperson tells MIN.
“Sunseeker has engaged fully throughout and continues to cooperate transparently with the relevant authorities. Sunseeker has completed a thorough review, during which Sunseeker has undertaken comprehensive due diligence. The company has implemented a strengthened policy governing the sourcing and trading of all teak to help ensure that materials are sourced responsibly and in compliance with UK, EU and US law.”
EIA said these are the first US charges it is aware of involving illegal teak imports from Myanmar since the military coup in 2021. The coup led to military control of Myanmar and the continuation of armed conflict across the country. Environmental crime linked to forestry operations, including teak extraction, has increased since then.
Myanmar teak is widely used in yacht decking because of its durability and resistance to water exposure. The timber is also associated with a distinctive golden appearance.
If convicted, Sunseeker could face fines and other penalties under the Lacey Act, which allows criminal enforcement in cases involving products sourced in violation of foreign laws.
The case is among the most prominent US legal actions involving luxury goods manufacturers and Myanmar timber since sanctions were imposed following the coup.
In 2021, the EIA named 12 major American timber firms importing teak from Myanmar since the start of the military coup, including several major yacht decking companies.
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