China Central Television (CCTV) reported on 8/12 that a group of citizens was arrested in the Myawaddy area of Myanmar, following raids by Myanmar authorities that dismantled several scam dens.

China's Ministry of Public Security directed police in Jiangxi province from 1/12 to conduct flights to Mae Sot, Thailand, to repatriate the citizens, with support from Thai authorities. Jiangxi police are also conducting further investigations into these cases.

Chinese citizens linked to Myanmar scam dens are repatriated. Photo: CCTV.

This move follows a ministerial meeting between China and five ASEAN nations last month, where they discussed joint action against telecom and online scams. The nations agreed to increase international law enforcement cooperation and launch joint campaigns to crack down on scam dens.

China, Myanmar, and Thailand launched a joint operation from 20/2, arresting numerous suspects. Over 6,600 Chinese citizens linked to these scams have been repatriated.

The United Nations warned in April that Chinese and Southeast Asian criminal gangs are earning tens of billions of USD annually through online scam centers. While some workers at these centers participate voluntarily, others are trafficked, tortured, and held in harsh conditions.

Ngoc Anh (According to Xinhua, Global Times)