Myanmar Military Raids Major Scam Hub, Arrests More Than 2,000

Myanmar’s military this week dismantled a major online scam operation near the Thai border, the latest effort by the junta to address international scrutiny over its hosting of a number of cyberscam centers responsible for defrauding Americans and others around the world, the Associated Press reported.

On Monday, state-run media said soldiers raided KK Park, a notorious cybercrime compound outside Myawaddy in Kayin state, as part of ongoing operations to suppress cross-border fraud, online gambling, and human trafficking. Authorities detained more than 2,000 people and estimated that more than 260 buildings were unregistered, according to local reports.

State media also published photos of seized Starlink satellite equipment, which the junta said had been smuggled into the country. The 30 terminals were allegedly being used to connect large-scale scam centers to the Internet.

The raid comes amid mounting international pressure from China and Thailand to crack down on transnational scam syndicates operating in Myanmar’s border zones.

Many of the workers operating these centers have reportedly been trafficked from other countries after being lured by promises of legitimate employment and then forced to carry out online scams involving fake investments or romantic schemes.

Law enforcement remains weak in these areas because of the ongoing civil conflict between the military and ethnic militias. Following the KK Park raid, Myanmar’s junta accused the Karen National Union, one of the armed groups opposing the military government, of being involved in the scam operation.

The militia denied any involvement.

Meanwhile, the presence of Starlink equipment prompted action from its company, SpaceX. Starlink – which is not licensed in Myanmar – has become popular among criminal groups for its ability to provide reliable Internet in remote, conflict-ridden regions.

On Tuesday, SpaceX vice president Lauren Dreyer said the company had “proactively identified and disabled over 2,500 Starlink Kits in the vicinity of suspected ‘scam centers,’” adding that SpaceX was committed to ensuring its service “remains a force for good,” NBC News noted.

Observers added that the crackdown at KK Park comes amid growing global scrutiny of cybercrime in Southeast Asia.

Last week, the United States and the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on leaders of a major Cambodian scam network.

According to US officials, Americans alone lost at least $10 billion to such schemes in 2024 – a 66 percent increase from the previous year.