China Cyberscam Drive In Myanmar Doesn’t Nab Kingpins

China is intensifying efforts to crack down on online scams orchestrated by criminal syndicates in the border areas of military-ruled Myanmar.

Over the summer, China announced joint operations with neighboring countries that led to the return of thousands of people to China.

Despite a campaign that involves shootouts, confession videos, and televised arrests of high-profile suspects, the crackdown covers a limited area and has not eliminated the ethnically Chinese kingpins operating in those regions. Huizhong Wu reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Over the summer, China announced joint operations with neighboring countries that led to the return of thousands of people to China, many of whom had been lured by promises of high-paying jobs.

Experts suggest that many are victims forced into conducting scams. However, these campaigns did not result in the arrest of ring leaders in Myanmar.

On Nov. 18, China’s Ministry of Public Security stated that authorities in northern Myanmar had handed over around 31,000 suspects. Among them, 63 were identified as key players in scamming groups, according to the police.

While some arrests included individuals linked to powerful figures in special administrative zones close to China’s border with military-ruled Myanmar, the campaign's effectiveness remains limited in eliminating the criminal masterminds.

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