SERVING as the national duty, the Government of Myanmar is carrying out efforts to combat online fraud and online gambling activities that pose a threat internationally and globally.
Most of the offenders who committed telecom fraud and online gambling illegally entered the Shwe Kokko and KK Park area, where fighting has occurred after 2021, located at a far distance from Myawady, via neighbouring countries. These are the areas where ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), KNU, KNLA and some NCA signatory groups, as well as so-called Border Guard Forces, have been operating their businesses. Unscrupulous businesspersons contact these groups to commit telecom fraud and online gambling. Hence, security forces performed the operations of controlling the areas and security measures in Myawady and the surrounding areas. When the areas can store peace and stability, the operation of combatting online fraud and gambling was launched. Afterwards, security forces continuously wipe out telecom fraud and online gambling in the Shwe Kokko and KK Park areas.
In this regard, those arrested for involvement in online fraud and online gambling schemes are being scrutinized as necessary and are formally transferred to their respective countries. At the same time, to ensure that online fraud and online gambling activities cannot re-establish themselves in the area, and to prevent the recurrence of criminal operations, buildings constructed without permission in those locations are being completely demolished. These demolition operations are being carried out systematically, using machinery for organized destruction as well as advanced demolition technologies involving controlled blasting.
Up to 6 pm yesterday, a total of 182 buildings out of 635 buildings used in the online fraud and gambling were demolished in the Myawady-Maehtawthalay (KK Park) area, and the demolition operation is being conducted for the remaining 435 buildings.
Another operation has been conducted to take security measures in the Shwe Kokko area since 18 November. Till 6 pm today, the third-day operation was conducted, and industrial materials used in online fraud and gambling were seized from six buildings constructed without permission till 6 pm. In the operation conducted in Shwe Kokko area, the security forces arrested three Vietnamese, 23 Kenyans, 85 Ethiopians, one Namibian, 168 Indonesians, 15 Ugandans, 10 Nepalis, 43 Indians, one Zimbabwean, 13 Filipinos, 21 Pakistanis, four Bangladeshis, three Sierra Leoneans, one Liberian, seven Nigerians, one Egyptian, one Sri Lankan, two Kazakhstanis and three Uzbekistanis, totalling 405, who attempted to flee away, at the junctions of the area. Hence, the security forces impounded 1,016 foreign nationals who illegally entered Myanmar along with 2,653 computers, 21,750 mobile phones and other industrial materials used in telecom fraud and online gambling in the Shwe Kokko area.
Those 1,016 foreign nationals are detained at a building in Lonhtinwun, Shwe Kokko Myaing Village, Pulwepu Village-tract of Myawady Township. The Illegal Foreigner Investigation Team has examined 600 of them so far. To enable their prompt repatriation to their respective countries, the relevant departmental combined teams are carrying out the necessary processes, including collecting personal data and recording required documentation.
The Government of Myanmar, treating the suppression of online fraud and online gambling offences as a national responsibility, will continue efforts to eliminate these activities within the country. These efforts will be carried out not only through domestic mechanisms but also in coordination with neighbouring governments so that these telecom fraud and online gambling groups cannot base themselves in Myanmar. — MNA/TTA
