MyanmarS military junta recently conducted a large-scale raid on a major online scam operation near the Thai border, resulting in the arrest of over 300 foreign nationals. This crackdown highlights the escalating issue of cybercrime flourishing in myanmar’s border regions since the 2021 coup,where these compounds have become notorious hubs for illicit activity. While authorities claim to be addressing the problem, questions remain about the junta’s motivations and the long-term impact on these deeply entrenched criminal networks-especially given increasing pressure from China to curtail scams targeting its citizens. The operation targeted the Shwe Kokko compound, a well-known center for fraudulent schemes.
Myanmar’s military junta has raided a major online scam operation, arresting over 300 people in a coordinated crackdown. The operation highlights the growing problem of cybercrime in the country’s border regions, which have become havens for illicit activity since the 2021 military coup.
According to local media outlet The Global New Light of Myanmar, the raid on the Shwe Kokko scam compound near the Thai border took place on the morning of Tuesday, November 18. Authorities detained more than 300 individuals, all of whom are foreign nationals.
These online scam hubs have proliferated in conflict-ridden areas of Myanmar since the military seized power in 2021. The compounds house individuals involved in fraudulent schemes targeting internet users with romance and business scams.
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These scams generate tens of billions of dollars annually, and the junta has faced accusations of turning a blind eye to the widespread practice.
However, Myanmar’s military government has begun a more aggressive crackdown since February, reportedly following lobbying from China, a key supporter of the regime. Some observers suggest the recent wave of raids, which began last month, is largely a propaganda effort aimed at appeasing Beijing without significantly impacting the profits enjoyed by junta-aligned militias.
“During the operation, a total of 346 foreign nationals currently under investigation have been arrested,” The Global New Light of Myanmar reported.
“Nearly 10,000 mobile phones used in online gambling operations were also seized,” the report added.
Since the 2021 coup and the ensuing civil war, Myanmar’s border regions have become fertile ground for online scam and gambling compounds. Analysts contend these locations are staffed by thousands of willing workers, as well as individuals who have fallen victim to human trafficking.
China has grown increasingly frustrated with the number of its citizens both perpetrating and falling victim to these scams. Myanmar’s junta, in turn, has blamed armed opposition groups for allowing the scam compounds to operate under their protection, claiming to have regained territorial control before taking action.
The Global New Light of Myanmar identified a company named Yatai, owned and operated by a Chinese-Cambodian national, She Zhijiang, as being “involved” in managing the Shwe Kokko area. She was arrested in Thailand in 2022 and extradited to China last week, where he will face charges related to online gambling and fraudulent schemes.
She and his company have been sanctioned by both the United States and the United Kingdom. The U.S. government described She as transforming a village on the Myanmar-Thailand border into Shwe Kokko, a “purpose-built resort town for gambling, drug trafficking, prostitution, and scams targeting people around the world.”
In October, Myanmar’s military government raided another online scam hub, KK Park, located near Shwe Kokko. The junta claimed its forces destroyed over 600 buildings in the KK Park area.
The raid on KK Park prompted thousands of people to flee across the border into Thailand, including 26 Indonesian nationals.
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