Myanmar raids second major online scam hub, arrests nearly 350 foreign nationals

Myanmar’s military government has expanded its campaign against cross-border cyberfraud, announcing the detention of hundreds of foreign nationals during a raid on a second major scam compound near the Thai border. According to the Associated Press, thousands of mobile phones and related equipment were also seized as part of the latest operation.

The military said the compound in Shwe Kokko, a town near Myawaddy in southeastern Myanmar, was raided on Tuesday. Military spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun said in a statement published in Myanma Alinn that 346 foreigners were taken into custody and nearly 10,000 mobile phones were confiscated. He added that authorities had blocked individuals attempting to flee into Thailand.

The Shwe Kokko raid comes weeks after the military stormed KK Park, another major scam hub on the outskirts of Myawaddy, in mid-October. The site had been widely linked to large-scale online fraud networks. Following that operation, more than 1,500 people from around two dozen countries crossed into Thailand, fleeing the compound. Zaw Min Tun said the structures at KK Park had since been demolished, including through controlled explosions.

Myanmar has become one of the region’s biggest centres for online scam operations, many of which involve romance cons, cryptocurrency fraud and bogus investment schemes. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that industrial-scale scam centers across Southeast Asia generate nearly $40 billion annually.

POWER STRUGGLE IN BORDER REGION

The areas surrounding Myawaddy remain only partially controlled by the military government and fall under the influence of various ethnic armed groups. These include the military-aligned Border Guard Force (BGF), which has a ceasefire agreement with the army, and the Karen Union (KNU), a major ethnic force engaged in the nationwide resistance movement against Myanmar’s junta.

The BGF has claimed involvement in the crackdown, and photographs released Wednesday show its fighters assisting in the Shwe Kokko operation. However, the group has long been suspected of providing protection to scam syndicates. It previously carried out smaller raids in the area earlier this year.

The junta has accused the KNU of links to illicit business operations through alleged real-estate dealings. Both the BGF and KNU have denied any role in running or supporting scam centres.

Major General Zaw Min Tun countered online conspiracy by saying that the military’s campaign against cyberfraud is superficial or staged. Critics argue that while the authorities target lower-level workers, key masterminds behind the lucrative scam networks continue to operate elsewhere with impunity.

Zaw Min Tun insisted the military was “working to completely eradicate scam activities from their roots” and highlighted cooperation with China, Myanmar’s most important regional ally. Beijing has pressured countries in the region to dismantle criminal syndicates that have targeted large numbers of Chinese nationals.

Myanmar’s military leadership has been increasingly isolated from Western governments since overthrowing Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected administration in 2021. Human rights groups have accused the junta of widespread abuses in its campaign to crush opposition and ethnic armed resistance.

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