The victims were rescued primarily by a powerful militia in Myanmar allied with the ruling military junta called the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), which has itself been accused of involvement in the development of scam hubs in the area, including the notorious Shwe Kokko. The BGF’s recent professed commitment to eradicating the scams comes amid a crackdown against the industry on the part of the Thai and Chinese governments, especially after a high-profile incident in which a Chinese actor visiting Thailand was kidnapped and spirited into Myanmar. More than 7,000 people rescued from scam compounds in Myanmar more than a week ago are still languishing in a detention center on the border with Thailand as they await repatriation. Earlier this month, the Thai government cut power, fuel and internet to three areas of Myanmar following a visit from China’s Assistant Minister of Public Security Liu Zhongyi where he reportedly called on the Thai government to do more to stop scamming activity in Myanmar. On Thursday, 84 rescued Indonesians were permitted to cross the border into Thailand from the town of Myawaddy and will be flown to Jakarta on Friday, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said. More than 600 people were flown to China last week after crossing into Thailand, but thousands more remain in limbo as Thailand waits for guarantees that their home countries will accept them. The estimated number of people trafficked into scamming operations in Myanmar exceeds 100,000, with Thailand serving as a frequent transit hub. Transnational criminal gangs have set up a lucrative industry in Myanmar — as well as in Cambodia and Laos — conning people worldwide primarily through cryptocurrency investment scams. Wechayachai implored Thailand’s foreign minister to secure repatriation agreements by Thursday, but the vast majority of detainees reportedly remain in Myanmar today. The sudden release of thousands of workers has created an urgent humanitarian crisis, however, and the Thai government said the freed workers would only be allowed to enter the country if their home nations have already confirmed they would be repatriated. On Thursday, Wired reported that many scam compounds in the Myawaddy area are now using Starlink to bypass internet restrictions.
This Cyber News was published on therecord.media. Publication date: Thu, 27 Feb 2025 18:35:31 +0000