1. Myanmar border militia scam network
2. Regional scam network Myanmar border militia nexus.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : An ethnic minority militia group operating on Myanmar’s border with Thailand has been implicated in a wide range of criminal activities, including internet fraud, human trafficking, forced labor, and other illicit operations. According to a report by the advocacy group Justice for Myanmar, the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) has established a complex business network across Asia, enriching itself through illegal means.
The BGF, originally formed by defectors from the Karen National Union insurgent group who aligned with the Myanmar junta in the 1990s, has control over key border crossings, providing access to lucrative revenue streams. This control has allowed the group to set up illegal casinos, online gambling platforms, and scam centers along Myanmar’s borders with China and Thailand. These operations often rely on forced labor and deception, with individuals tricked into participating in fraudulent schemes.
Researchers from the University of Texas estimated that scammers had defrauded investors of over US$75 billion since January 2020. The leader of the Karen force, Saw Chit Thu, has been accused of overseeing a criminal business network involving illegal activities and human rights abuses. The report by Justice for Myanmar also implicates the Myanmar army in benefiting from the BGF’s criminal enterprises.
While Saw Chit Thu and other BGF members have denied allegations of involvement in illegal activities, the advocacy group is calling on governments and businesses in the region to take action against the transnational criminal networks enabling these crimes. The group highlighted the complicity of governments in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Cambodia in allowing these criminal operations to flourish.
One of the key hubs of the BGF’s business operations is Shwe Kokko, a development project on the Myanmar-Thailand border. The report details a joint venture between the BGF and businessman She Zhijiang to develop the Yatai New City real estate project in Shwe Kokko. She Zhijiang, a naturalized Cambodian national with business interests across Southeast Asia, has faced sanctions from Britain for his alleged involvement in criminal activities.
The report also exposes the involvement of Malaysian investors in the BGF’s operations, including a project called Dongmei Park, south of Myawaddy town. Former Chinese triad boss Wan Kuok-koi, also known as Broken Tooth, has been identified as a major investor in the project, alongside well-connected Malaysian citizens. The United States imposed sanctions on Wan and Dongmei Park in 2020, citing their involvement in criminal activities.
Justice for Myanmar has called for action from Asian governments to investigate and hold accountable individuals and companies involved in these illicit activities. The group warns that the criminal business network operated by the BGF poses a global threat, causing suffering to local communities and exploiting workers in slave-like conditions. Authorities in the region are urged to take decisive action to dismantle these criminal networks and protect human rights.
In conclusion, the report by Justice for Myanmar sheds light on the extensive criminal activities of the Karen Border Guard Force and its associates, urging governments to take swift and decisive action to combat these transnational crimes. With the involvement of individuals and businesses across Asia, it is crucial for regional authorities to cooperate in dismantling these illicit networks and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions..
Myanmar border militia emerges as nexus in regional scam network, Radio Free Asia.
