Myanmar Urges Foreign Governments to Repatriate Hundreds Detained in Scam Centre Crackdown

BANGKOK:  Myanmar’s military government has called on the international community to urgently repatriate hundreds of foreign nationals still being held following a sweeping crackdown on cyber scam centers near the Thai border.

Speaking on Sunday, officials said the detainees were arrested during recent raids on major scam hubs in eastern Kayin State, particularly in the KK Park and Shwe Kokko areas on the outskirts of the border town of Myawaddy. Authorities say thousands of foreigners have been detained since the crackdown began earlier this year, placing significant strain on local resources.

Colonel Min Thu Kyaw, who led the operations and serves as Kayin State’s minister for security and border affairs, said authorities are struggling to manage detainees from diverse backgrounds. He appealed to foreign governments to swiftly arrange the return of their citizens, saying prolonged detention has become increasingly difficult for Myanmar to handle.

At a press conference in Yangon, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Maj-Gen Aung Kyaw Kyaw said a total of 13,272 foreign nationals from 47 countries have been detained since January. While the majority have already been deported, 1,655 individuals remain in custody awaiting repatriation.

Myanmar has long been identified as a regional hub for cyber scam operations that target victims worldwide, often through online romance schemes and fraudulent investment platforms. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates such criminal networks generate nearly $40 billion annually.

Officials said most of the remaining detainees are being held in sports facilities in Myawaddy, as well as in buildings formerly used as scam compounds and properties controlled by the Kayin Border Guard Force. The largest group awaiting deportation are Chinese nationals, numbering more than 500, followed by significant numbers from Indonesia, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Kenya, and India.

Authorities noted that deportations have been delayed mainly for nationals from African countries that lack embassies in Myanmar or neighboring Thailand, with some cases taking up to five months to resolve.

State-run MRTV television has recently aired footage of security forces dismantling scam centers near Myawaddy, including scenes of buildings being demolished using explosives and heavy machinery. The military government said the current crackdown on online scams and illegal gambling intensified in early September.

Despite the campaign, critics argue that the key organizers behind the scam operations remain active in other areas. The Myawaddy region remains under the influence of multiple ethnic Karen militias, including the military-aligned Border Guard Force and the Karen National Union (KNU), which is part of the wider resistance against military rule.

While the Border Guard Force has claimed involvement in the crackdown, it has previously been accused of shielding scam operators. The military government has also alleged links between the KNU and scam centers through real estate dealings, claims that both groups have denied.

The situation underscores the complexity of dismantling transnational scam networks in Myanmar, as well as the growing diplomatic challenge of managing thousands of foreign nationals caught up in the illicit operations.