Myanmar’s military government has claimed that “special operations” carried out over the past two years have led to the repatriation of more than 70,000 foreign nationals who were allegedly forced to work in online scam centers across the country’s border regions. The announcement comes amid growing international scrutiny of Myanmar’s role in hosting some of Southeast Asia’s most notorious cybercrime hubs, where victims have been trafficked, tortured, and coerced into running sophisticated fraud schemes targeting people around the world.

According to Myanmar authorities, these operations focused on dismantling infrastructure linked to large scam compounds, particularly in Kayin State’s Myawaddy Township, home to infamous enclaves such as KK Park and Shwe Kokko. Officials said demolition campaigns have destroyed hundreds of buildings allegedly used for cybercrime, online gambling, and related money-laundering activities, signaling what the junta describes as a renewed effort to crack down on transnational criminal networks operating along the Thai-Myanmar border.

The region has become a focal point for so-called “pig-butchering” scams, a form of long-con investment fraud that often begins with romance or social media catfishing and escalates into large-scale financial deception. Victims of these scams are spread across Asia, Europe, and North America, while those forced to operate them are often migrants trafficked from countries such as China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and beyond.

Human rights groups and investigative journalists have documented harrowing conditions inside these scam centers. Workers have reported being lured by promises of legitimate employment, only to find themselves imprisoned behind barbed wire and guarded by armed men. Survivors describe 17-hour workdays, constant surveillance, physical abuse, electric shocks, and threats of murder or organ harvesting if they attempted to escape or failed to meet financial targets. In some cases, families were extorted for ransom payments in exchange for the victims’ release.

Myanmar’s military authorities argue that these criminal operations pose a serious threat to national security and regional stability. Speaking on December 14, Zaw Min Tun, spokesperson for the National Defense and Security Council’s information team, said the repatriations took place over “more than two years” and involved citizens from 54 countries. He emphasized that Myanmar was “actively cooperating” with international partners to suppress scam networks, particularly in border areas where state control has historically been weak.

State-run media, citing the Chinese news agency Xinhua, reported that authorities had demolished 398 buildings linked to scam operations as of December 12, out of a total of 635 structures deemed illegal. Many of these buildings were located in KK Park, an enclave long associated with cyber fraud, online gambling, and illicit financial flows. The area has previously been linked to powerful militia groups and business interests operating with varying degrees of tolerance from local authorities.

In addition to demolition efforts, the military government says it has intensified law enforcement operations. In October, officials claimed they arrested 2,198 people at KK Park and seized 30 Starlink satellite internet receivers, highlighting the role of advanced communications technology in sustaining scam operations even in remote areas. In November, authorities reported the detention of 346 foreign nationals during a raid on a Shwe Kokko scam center, along with the seizure of nearly 10,000 mobile phones. Days later, state media announced another sweep resulting in more than 1,600 arrests and the deportation of thousands of foreign nationals.

To formalize these efforts, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Maj. Gen. Aung Kyaw Kyaw announced the creation of a national-level Central Supervisory Committee on Combating Telecom Fraud and Online Gambling on December 10. The committee is tasked with eradicating online fraud in border regions, preventing its spread into Myanmar’s interior, and coordinating enforcement across agencies. Officials say the committee will also work with foreign governments to share intelligence and improve investigative capacity.

Despite these claims, Myanmar’s assertions have been met with skepticism by analysts and rights organizations. Critics note that many scam compounds have operated for years with the apparent knowledge-or at least acquiescence-of local authorities and armed groups aligned with the military. The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has previously documented how scam centers in places like Shwe Kokko and KK Park flourished amid opaque business arrangements, weak regulation, and protection from powerful actors.

While the junta insists that Myanmar is not the “root cause” of these crimes, it has repeatedly urged international organizations to provide practical assistance, including intelligence-sharing, technology, and training. Observers argue, however, that such cooperation will remain limited as long as Myanmar remains diplomatically isolated following the 2021 military coup, which triggered widespread unrest, armed resistance, and international sanctions.

There are also concerns about transparency. Independent verification of the reported repatriation figures remains difficult, and questions persist about what happens to those arrested during raids. Human rights advocates warn that some victims may be wrongly treated as criminals, while others could face further abuse or arbitrary detention before being deported. The lack of access for international monitors complicates efforts to assess whether the military’s actions are primarily aimed at protecting victims or at managing international pressure.

At the same time, regional governments face increasing domestic pressure to address the global impact of scam operations originating from Myanmar’s borderlands. Countries such as China and Thailand have intensified cross-border cooperation, conducting joint operations and cutting power and internet access to suspected scam zones. These measures reflect growing recognition that cyber fraud is no longer a localized issue but a transnational security and economic threat.

Ultimately, Myanmar’s announcement underscores the scale of the scam-center problem and the human suffering embedded within it. While the reported repatriation of tens of thousands of victims is significant, the persistence of scam networks suggests that enforcement alone may not be sufficient. Addressing the problem will require sustained regional cooperation, accountability for those who profit from trafficking and fraud, and meaningful protection for victims who have already endured exploitation and violence.

Whether Myanmar’s “special operations” mark a genuine turning point or a temporary response to mounting international scrutiny remains an open question. For now, the crisis highlights how conflict, weak governance, and organized crime continue to intersect in Myanmar’s border regions-at a devastating cost to human lives and global trust.

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