Myanmar police handed over six alleged key figures in a cyber scam fraud group and four other major crime suspects to Chinese public security authorities as part of efforts to crack down on cross-border long-distance scams targeting Chinese nationals.
The transfer, reported by Xinhua, is part of a concerted effort to tackle the escalating issue of cyber scams spanning Myanmar’s northern region and China, with China’s Ministry of Public Security having bolstered its collaboration with Myanmar’s law enforcement agencies.
A Chinese civil aviation charter flight transported the 10 major crime suspects to Kunming Changshui International Airport in Yunnan.
‘This operation marks a substantial milestone in the ongoing international law enforcement cooperation between China and Myanmar, underscoring the unwavering commitment of both nations to combat transnational telecommunications network fraud crimes and uphold security and stability,’ Chinese authorities pointed out.
According to the publication, these criminal syndicates were led by four main individuals, Bai Suocheng, Wei Huairan, Liu Zhengxiang, and Xu Laofa in Myanmar’s northern autonomous region.
These groups were said to have orchestrated fraudulent activities, perpetrating telecommunications network fraud against Chinese citizens, coupled with ‘suspicions of serious violent crimes including intentional homicide’.
Following the arrest order for Bai Suocheng and 10 other key figures of the cyberscam group in December 2023, China’s public security organs embarked on a collaborative effort with Myanmar authorities, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar.
Subsequently, Myanmar police apprehended six criminal suspects publicly wanted by Chinese public security, with six others, including Bai Yinglan, Wei Rong, Wei Qingsong, and Liu Jiguang, still at large.
On January 30, Myanmar police decided to hand over the six apprehended criminal suspects, along with four other major crime suspects identified by Chinese public security, to Chinese authorities.
The Ministry of Public Security reiterated its commitment to eradicating the ‘scourge’ of cyber scams in the northern region of Myanmar and China.
Through sustained law enforcement cooperation, over 44,000 suspected criminals involved in telecommunications network fraud in Myanmar’s northern region have been handed over to Chinese authorities.
The two countries public security bodies vowed to maintain a stringent stance against such crimes, deepen international law enforcement cooperation, and uphold border security and stability.
A recently released report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime described the role of casinos, junkets, and cryptocurrency in driving the underground banking and money laundering infrastructure in East and Southeast Asia.
