The crimes, including unlawful online gambling, are on the rise currently in the Myawady-Shwe Kokko and KK Park areas, in Kayin State.
The Shwe Kokko area was established as a project to run businesses aiming at regional development in 2016. Later, because of the news coverage of media regarding the illegal businesses, the project was suspended. Law enforcement groups and administrators face difficulties and are struggling to control these areas completely as various armed organizations are based there. Therefore, the sites lack stability and those who seek their interests commit crimes including online gambling taking advantage of these situations.
Moreover, the power and internet connection, which are basic and essential for online scams in these areas, are not provided by Myanmar but by other countries. Foreign organizations make investments in these infrastructures, and most of the investments are made by these organizations. Those run online frauds and gambling operated these schemes in the Philippines and Cambodia in 2015, and later in Myanmar in 2019.
The media also expressed the news that the missing Chinese national Mr Wang Xing (actor) at border areas of Thai-Myanmar (Mae Sot-Myawady) was transferred to Thailand through the proper communication of relevant organizations. According to the investigation, Mr Wang Xing was contacted by a Chinese man via WeChat Account of Thai media company GMM Grammy and persuaded to film in Thailand. On 3 January, he left Shanghai, China, for Thailand by flight and arrived at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Then, he arrived at Thaungyin River (Thai side) near Maekonkan village in Maesot, Tak Province, Bangkok, and was taken to Myawady-Shwe Kokko in Myanmar by boat.
Afterwards, he was sent to a building, and trained for computer typing. He found about 10 Chinese nationals there. He was sent to another building and had shaved his head. He was forced to commit online fraud. That place is a place to run online gambling, and there are about 50 Chinese citizens. He got contact from his family, and the organizations from that area transferred him to Thailand via No 34 crossing in Wangthakiyanthaik in Ward 7 of Thasonglut in Mae Sot, Tak Province, on 7 January. In the evening, he proceeded to the Thailand Victim Identification and Referral Centre in Don Mueang and was transferred to China on 10 January.
Similarly, three Chinese men including Mr Cheng Xiao Ning were found near Than Bridge in Chitkyiyay Street in Ward 5. According to the investigation, they illegally entered Myanmar via Thailand in 2022-2023 and operated online financial frauds. They ran away from their sites as they did not receive any salaries.
Moreover, another two Chinese Mr Yin Jie and Mr Huang Xiang were also found near Nat Shin Naung traffic light in Bayintnaung Street, Ward 4 in Myawady. They entered Myanmar via Mae Sot illegally in 2023.
To run online scams and online gambling, there might be needs for electricity, internet connection, arms and ammunition and buildings. Those who run these schemes might have access to these relying on other countries. They are not Myanmar nationals, but they are foreigners who illegally entered Myanmar via illegal routes from neighbouring countries. The neighbouring countries should participate in combating online scams and online gambling.
The government of Myanmar also focuses on State stability and the rule of law. It also uncovers the online scams and online gambling operated by some foreigners, who communicated with EAOs and those who saved their interests from EAOs’ areas by taking advantage of the current situation in border areas and transferring them.
In doing so, most of the foreigners illegally enter the country via some neighbouring countries including Thailand to run businesses for their interests. However, the government investigated them under the law and transferred them to their respective countries on humanitarian grounds and bilateral relations. The illegal residents who commit online scams and online gambling are found in border areas including Laukkai, Muse, Tachilek and Myawady and transferred to their countries. From 5 October 2023 to 13 January 2025, 53,388 Chinese were transferred to China, while 648 to Thailand, 20 to Korea, 22 to Laos, 1,149 to Vietnam, 19 to the Philippines, 142 to Malaysia, 21 to Chinese Taipei, two to Singapore, one to Poland, one to Spain, 13 to Russia, 38 to Indonesia, three to Uganda, two to Egypt, three to Cambodia, 96 to India, 13 to Morocco, 29 to Ethiopia, 26 to Nepal, three to Pakistan, two to North Ireland, one to Kazakhstan, two to Kenya, 60 to Sri Lanka, one to South Africa, one to Hong Kong of China, two to Sierra Leone, one to Ghana, one to Burundi and one to Turkmenistan, totalling 55,711 foreigners.
The government conducts effective measures to investigate the arrested foreigners who entered illegally under the law, prosecute as quickly as possible and expel them to their relevant countries by organizing committees, and actively cooperates with relevant countries to transfer the foreigners who face hardships for various reasons and foreign national trafficking victims.
From 22 to 19 January 2025, the government received letters via diplomatic ties, Interpol communication and police communication channels to investigate and search 4,176 people (3,415 men and 761 women) from Asia, Europe, China and South Africa including ASEAN member states. A total of 1,292 people — 958 men and 334 women — were found until 19 January 2025, and 1,284 were transferred to their relevant following the procedures. Five from Vietnam, one from Pakistan and two from China have remained to transfer. Investigations are continuously conducted for the remaining 2,884 people, and information is reported to relevant embassies and countries in time. Myanmar and China jointly conducted two operations to shut down online scam centres in Muse, Shan State (North), Myanmar. The first operation was conducted on 28-30 March 2024, and the second on 23-26 September 2024.
Those persons who run online scams and online gambling are not normal civilians, they are gamblers committing crimes in their countries and are fugitive offenders. According to the press release of the Information Team of the State Administration Council, “Chinese nationals do not deceive Myanmar nationals, and Myanmar nationals do not deceive Chinese. A group in exile who committed crimes deceived the two countries. Those who are guilty must be exposed and those who protect them must also be prosecuted.”
The online scammers and gamblers run their businesses by cooperating with some EAOs that are signatories to NCA, armed organizations and their subordinates, exploiting the difficulties and challenges faced by the law enforcement groups and administrators in full control of these areas due to the lack of stability. Therefore, the government investigate and take effective actions by cooperating with international organizations. Local organizations and citizens are urged to report to the authorities regarding online scam information and participate in combating online gambling as a national task. — MNA/KTZH
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