Myanmar's state television has begun broadcasting extensive footage of the military government's aggressive crackdown on online scam centres, showcasing buildings being demolished and the detention of over a thousand foreigners.
Scale of the Operation
The authorities recently raided two major scam centres, KK Park and Shwe Kokko, located on the outskirts of Myawaddy, a trading town on the border with Thailand. The latest operation, which began on November 18 in Shwe Kokko, led to the arrest of 1,746 foreigners in just six days, according to state-run media reports from Monday.
Myanmar is notorious for hosting cyberscam operations that target people globally. These schemes often involve gaining a person's confidence through romantic ploys before luring them into bogus investment schemes. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime estimates these activities generate nearly $40 billion annually for criminal gangs.
Extensive Seizures and Detentions
Reports detail that authorities confiscated a vast quantity of equipment used to carry out online fraud and gambling. This included 2,893 computers, 21,750 mobile phones, 101 Starlink satellite communications devices, and 21 internet routers from the Shwe Kokko centre alone.
Since the end of January, a total of 12,586 foreigners have been detained in various crackdowns, with 9,978 of them deported to their home countries via Thailand. Some foreigners, including individuals from African nations, have reported being tricked into working at the centres and then prevented from leaving.
Political Context and Ongoing Challenges
The unusual length and detail of the reports on MRTV television appear to reflect the military government's desire to publicise its efforts after months of bad publicity and international pressure. The regime, which seized power from Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government in 2021, is widely ostracised.
Broadcast videos show security forces sweeping through buildings without resistance and foreign detainees in Shwe Kokko being made to squat in line. Footage also showed buildings in KK Park, raided in mid-October, being demolished by explosives and bulldozers, with hundreds of computers crushed by a steamroller.
While the military government claims it began its crackdown on online scams and illegal gambling in early September, critics charge that the masterminds continue to operate from other locations. The situation is complicated by the strong influence of ethnic minority militias in the Myawaddy area.
The military-backed Border Guard Force, which has signed a ceasefire with the army, has claimed credit for taking part in the crackdown, despite being widely believed to have previously protected scam operators. The military government has also accused the Karen National Union, which is part of the resistance against military rule, of being linked to the scam centres through real estate deals. Both groups have denied any involvement.
