Myanmar Junta Raids Online Scam Hub, Arrests Hundreds
Myawaddy, Myanmar – Myanmar’s military junta announced the arrest of 346 foreign nationals during a large-scale operation targeting online gambling and scam operations, according to a report in The Global New Light of Myanmar. nearly 10,000 cellphones used in the illicit activities were also confiscated.The raid targeted areas notorious for hosting complex criminal enterprises that exploit both victims of human trafficking and those defrauded by online scams.
The crackdown comes as Myanmar’s border regions have become a haven for these operations since the 2021 coup and subsequent civil war. Analysts beleive these bases are staffed by thousands of individuals, including volunteer workers and victims of human trafficking lured from abroad. China has expressed increasing concern over its citizens becoming both perpetrators and victims of fraud originating in these areas, while the junta itself has blamed armed opposition groups for enabling the fraudulent activities.
The operation focused on the Shwe Kokko area, allegedly managed by Yatai, a company owned by Chinese-Cambodian citizen she Zhijiang. She was arrested in Thailand in 2022 and extradited to China last week to face charges related to online gambling and fraud.Both the US and UK have sanctioned She and Yatai, with the US describing Shwe Kokko as a “resort town built specifically for gambling, drug trafficking, prostitution and fraud targeting people around the world.”
this is not the first raid by the junta. In October, Myanmar’s military targeted the KK Park online scam headquarters, destroying over 600 buildings. That raid prompted thousands to flee across the border into Thailand, including 26 Indonesian citizens. The junta claims to be taking action as it regains territorial control.