ASIA/MYANMAR – Myanmar’s army raids and arrests people in “Scam cities”

Yangon – Myanmar’s military government has launched an operation to combat online criminal activity in so-called “scam cities” located on the border between Myanmar and Thailand: on November 18, the army raided a complex in the town of Shwe Kokko, near Myawaddy, a major commercial city on the border with Thailand. According to Burmese state media, the military arrested 350 foreign nationals and confiscated more than 10,000 mobile phones used to commit fraud. About a month ago, authorities raided another major scam center, called “KK Park,” on the outskirts of Myawaddy.
The Myanmar military government claims that the crackdown on cross-border online scams and illegal gambling began in early September. Following the raid on KK Park, more than 1,500 people who worked there have moved to Thailand, while the army has demolished, using controlled explosions, the buildings used for illegal activities. The entire area is under the control of Myanmar’s military government, but it is also marked by the presence of Karen ethnic minority militias, such as the Border Guard Force, a Karen militia that has signed a truce with the army, and the Karen National Union , which, on the contrary, is fighting against the army as part of the resistance war against the military regime.
The Border Guard Force has claimed credit for its participation in the crackdown on illegal activities, although, according to analysts, it had previously provided protection to scam operators.
The military government has accused the KNU of being linked to the scam centers. Both militias have consistently denied providing protection to criminal organizations. In Myanmar’s border regions, ravaged by a four-year war, fraud centers run by international criminal networks have proliferated. These networks use deception to kidnap people – often Chinese, Thai, Cambodian, Burmese, or other nationalities – and force them to commit online scams. The victims, contacted by phone and lured with romantic ploys and false investment opportunities, are primarily located in China, but also in the West, including Europe and the United States.
An army spokesperson highlighted China’s cooperation, as an ally of the military government in Yangon, in combating these scams. The Chinese government has stated its commitment to fighting these illegal activities, given that a large number of Chinese citizens are involved both as perpetrators – kidnapped and enslaved – and as victims, deceived in their homeland. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates the volume of illicit business at $40 billion annually. The operation comes as the Burmese regime prepares to hold elections announced in several phases, beginning on December 28 and continuing into January. These elections will only be possible in a part of the country controlled by the military – less than 50% of the national territory. According to initial indications, the vote will have the support and recognition of China, Russia, and India, while international observers, such as representatives from the European Union and the United Nations, have questioned the credibility of any election under the current conflict. The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have expressed their “deep concern” and doubts regarding the vote.

Read original article