Junta-Aligned Karen Militia Relocating Chinese Scam Workers to Myanmar Cities

Thousands of Chinese nationals linked to online scam syndicates in Karen State’s Myawaddy have fled to major cities including Yangon and Mandalay with help from ethnic Karen armed groups, even as Myanmar’s junta claims success in its crackdown on notorious hubs like KK Park and Shwe Kokko.

The military regime says it has sealed off 101 of the 135 buildings in Shwe Kokko since Nov. 18, detaining over 2,000 foreigners and seizing more than 3,000 computers, 20,000 mobile phones, and other equipment. It also claims to have demolished 270 of 635 buildings at KK Park.

But locals report the scam bosses have relocated their operations elsewhere, with syndicate workers funneled to other towns by junta-affiliated Karen groups.