Other currency traders are known to be Bengalis working on the Bangladesh side of the Burmese border. By the mid-to-end of 2002 the economy had gone into a tailspin, and had caused people from all walks of life, including notorious druglords, to stop holding their money in local private banks, namely due to the anti-Money Laundering Law enacted on June 17, 2002. The law allows the regime to seize any accounts allegedly related to drug trafficking or other non-state sanctioned ventures. Instead people have invested heavily in cars, gold, real estate, hand phones and, not surprisingly, in greenbacks. The kyat, therefore, skyrocketed to 1,200 to the dollar, but again stabilized at around 1,050 by the time of writing. It would be too optimistic to say that the kyat will hold at this rate as we have witnessed the present state of the economy. Meanwhile, Ma Khin Aye will be going on more "pilgrimages" when the kyat does slide further. Danu Maung is a writer based in Rangoon. He contributed this article for The Irrawaddy.