Myanmar’s military has detained nearly 350 people after raiding a major online scam compound near the Thai border, according to AFP reports citing state media.
The November 18th operation marks one of the junta’s most high-profile actions against the country’s sprawling cyber-fraud networks.
State newspaper The Global New Light of Myanmar reported that troops entered the Shwe Kokko complex—long known as a hub for gambling and online scam operations—on Monday morning. Authorities said 346 foreign nationals were arrested during the sweep, while nearly 10,000 mobile phones allegedly used for online gambling and fraud were seized.
The junta described the raid as part of a broader crackdown launched earlier this year following sustained pressure from China, a key military partner, amid rising numbers of Chinese nationals involved in or victimized by regional cyber-fraud schemes. Since February, Myanmar has repatriated thousands of alleged scammers, accompanied by increased media attention and cross-border coordination, AFP noted.
Cyber-fraud compounds have proliferated across Myanmar’s border regions since the 2021 coup plunged the country into civil conflict. The loosely governed areas have become fertile ground for criminal syndicates that run gambling and scam networks, often using both voluntary recruits and trafficked workers from across Asia. A UN report estimated that victims in East and Southeast Asia alone lost up to $37 billion in 2023, warning that global losses were “much larger”.
On November 19th, the junta accused armed opposition groups of shielding scam centres but said the military was now acting after regaining territorial control. State media also linked the operation at Shwe Kokko to the Yatai group, associated with Chinese-Cambodian businessman She Zhijiang, who was arrested in Thailand in 2022 and extradited to China last week to face charges related to online gambling and fraud. She and Yatai have previously been sanctioned by the United States and the United Kingdom.
The US government has described Shwe Kokko as “a resort city custom-built for gambling, drug trafficking, prostitution, and scams targeting people around the world.” In October, the junta said it had also launched raids on nearby KK Park and was demolishing more than 600 buildings tied to scam activity.
