Karen Border Guard Force targets scam hubs, planning daily deportations of trafficked workers from Myanmar to Thailand.
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| Myanmar militia to deport 10,000 cyber scam workers to Thailand as part of a crackdown on trafficking and illicit compounds. Image: DAWN/ Feepik/ ChicHue |
Yangon, Myanmar — February 16, 2025:
A Myanmar ethnic militia has announced plans to deport 10,000 individuals involved in cyber scams, part of a wider crackdown on illegal operations in the region. The deportations are set to take place as the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) works to remove scam workers from its territory and send them to Thailand.
According to BGF spokesman Major Naing Maung Zaw, a list of individuals linked to the illicit cyber scam operations has been compiled, and deportations will proceed with approximately 500 people being transferred daily. The operation has already seen 61 individuals sent across a border bridge into Thailand, with 7,000 workers from various nationalities expected to be handed over in phases.
The BGF's efforts are targeting scam hubs such as Shwe Kokko, an infamous compound in Myanmar’s eastern Myawaddy township. These scam operations often deceive foreign workers with promises of high-paying jobs, only to force them into labor under harsh conditions, with severe consequences for those who attempt to escape.
Thai authorities have coordinated with the BGF to manage the deportation process, as the region continues to grapple with the growing issue of cyber scams and human trafficking.