Prevailing Ethnic Militia in Myanmar Repatriates 1,200 Chinese Nationals Linked to Cybercrime

BANGKOK (AP) — An influential ethnic minority militia in Myanmar has apprehended and sent back over 1,200 Chinese nationals who were reportedly involved in criminal online scam activities, according to a militia official on Saturday.

The arrests took place in the region controlled by the United Wa State Army (UWSA) in eastern Shan state on Tuesday and Wednesday. Nyi Rang, a liaison officer from the militia, shared this information with The Associated Press.

According to a text message from Nyi Rang, the arrested individuals were handed over to the Chinese police at the border gate in Panghsang, also known as Pangkham city, which serves as the capital of the Wa-administered territory on the border with China’s Yunnan province.

Cybercrime scams have become a significant issue in Asia, with many workers who carry out these scams falling victim to criminal gangs. These gangs lure individuals with fraudulent job offers and coerce them into virtual slavery.

In a recent report, the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights highlighted how these gangs have forced hundreds of thousands of people in Southeast Asia to participate in scam operations involving false romances, fake investments, and illegal gambling.

The report mentioned that around 120,000 people in Myanmar and approximately 100,000 in Cambodia could be trapped in situations where they are compelled to carry out online scams.

According to the report, the scam centers in Myanmar are located in towns along the Thai border, southeastern Kayin state, the Kokang Self-Administered Zone, and the Wa-administered city of Mong La in Shan state near the Chinese border.

Nyi Rang emphasized that online fraud operations are not permitted in the territory governed by the UWSA and its political arm, the United Wa State Party. Similar arrests have been made in the past as well.

On Friday, the UWSA’s media outlet, WSTV, stated on its Facebook page that a total of 1,207 Chinese nationals, arrested by the Wa state police for online fraud, had been handed over to the Chinese police. China’s state news agency, Xinhua, also reported the same number of individuals being turned over to the Chinese police on Wednesday, including 41 fugitives.

The United Wa State Army is the largest and most powerful ethnic armed group among Myanmar’s minority groups. It has an army with approximately 30,000 well-equipped soldiers and advanced weaponry, including heavy artillery and helicopters from China.

The Wa control their territory without interference from Myanmar’s central government, in two separate enclaves located in the northeastern and southern parts of Shan state. One enclave borders China, while the other borders Thailand.

Furthermore, China maintains strong ties with Myanmar’s military rulers, who came to power after the army ousted the elected government in February 2021.

In July, Chinese Ambassador Chen Hai urged Myanmar’s Foreign Affairs Minister Than Swe to collaborate with neighboring countries in suppressing and eradicating online gambling and scam centers operating in the border regions of Myanmar. The goal is also to rescue Chinese citizens trapped in these operations.

Chen Hai visited Naypyitaw, the capital of Myanmar, multiple times between June and August to discuss border security matters with Chinese and Myanmar officials.

The U.N. report also highlighted the presence of online fraud gangs in southeastern Kayin state on the Thai border. Shwe Kokko, a small town in the northern part of Kayin state’s Myawaddy township, is notorious for hosting casino complexes that allegedly serve as hubs for organized crime activities, including online scams, gambling, and human trafficking. These complexes were developed by Chinese investors in collaboration with local Border Guard Forces affiliated with Myanmar’s army.