21 hours ago
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BEIJING: Chinese authorities have repatriated 952 nationals suspected of involvement in telecommunication fraud, through joint efforts with Thailand and Myanmar as part of a regional crackdown on cross-border gambling and scam compounds.
In a statement released on Thursday (Dec 25), China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said it had dispatched a task force to Myawaddy, a border town in southeastern Myanmar on Dec 15.
Nearly 500 buildings were targeted in one compound known as “KK Park”, a well-documented cybercrime hub.
Another compound known as “Yatai New City”, known for gambling and fraud, “had been completely cleared”.
Ongoing efforts have led to the repatriation of over 7,600 Chinese nationals in Myawaddy since the start of this year, MPS said.
From Dec 16 to 19, MPS also arranged for police units from Jilin and Henan provinces to escort the captured suspects back to China.
Criminal groups, reportedly mostly Chinese-run, continue to operate throughout Myanmar, as well as in Cambodia and Laos - and are believed to generate tens of billions of dollars each year.
Lured by fake job offers, victims are held in elaborate compounds where they are made to carry out online fraud.
A screengrab from a video posted by China's Ministry of Public Security, showing a demolished scam compound in Myanmar's Myawaddy township. (Image: WeChat/Ministry of Public Security)
Throughout the course of the year, Beijing has led an international pressure campaign to dismantle the scam hubs.
Earlier this year, it established a ministerial-level coordination mechanism with Thailand and Myanmar to jointly combat telecom and online fraud, carrying out multiple rounds of joint operations.
Since October, Myanmar authorities, following earlier agreements with China and Thailand, have conducted a new round of crackdowns in Myawaddy and other areas - arresting suspects and dismantling gambling and fraud compounds.
Chinese authorities have also expressed willingness to work alongside more countries to strengthen international law enforcement cooperation against global scam syndicates.
