China begins repatriating over 1,200 nationals linked to Myanmar scam hubs

THAILAND: China has begun repatriating hundreds of its citizens accused of involvement in online scam operations in Myanmar, with the first group of 300 people flown home from Thailand on Monday (1 Dec), according to Thai authorities.

The 300 individuals form part of a wider group of 1,208 Chinese nationals transferred from Myanmar to Thailand after Myanmar’s military authorities launched major crackdowns on Chinese-run scam hubs in KK Park, Shwe Kokko and other areas of Myawaddy township.

The operations, which began in October, follow earlier raids that critics say failed to stop many ringleaders from relocating to new sites.

Security personnel and immigration police in Thailand’s Tak province escorted the first batch of detainees from holding cells at the Mae Sot immigration checkpoint to Mae Sot International Airport, near the Myanmar border.

Chinese officials received them there before they boarded chartered flights back to China.

Thai and Chinese authorities conducted joint identity checks and body searches before each person was handed over to Chinese police and escorted onto the aircraft. Security around the airport was tightened, and officials said the process proceeded smoothly without incident.

Multiple charter flights departed for China on Monday, with six flights scheduled between 1 and 4 December.

Crackdowns in Scam Compounds

The detainees were previously employed in Chinese-run scam compounds across Myawaddy, which have been targeted by Myanmar’s military and allied forces in a series of recent raids. The operations have forced many operators to flee.

While Myanmar’s military authorities say they began intensifying action against online scams and illegal gambling in early September, rights groups argue that key ringleaders continue to operate from other locations.

In Shwe Kokko, a six-day operation beginning on 18 November resulted in the arrest of 1,746 foreign nationals, including one Singaporean detained during a raid on 23 November.

Regional Cooperation to Dismantle Networks

Thai authorities said all 1,208 Chinese nationals handed over by Myanmar have already been processed under Thai law and are now being repatriated through diplomatic channels.

This week’s flights mark another phase of multinational cooperation aimed at dismantling transnational scam networks that have flourished along the Myanmar–Thailand border.

Earlier this year, more than 12,500 foreign nationals linked to scam operations were detained, with nearly 10,000 deported via Thailand.

Some workers told authorities they had been lured to the compounds under false pretences and were subsequently prevented from leaving.

According to Asia News Network, as of 30 November, 276 buildings in the KK Park area had been demolished, while 119 illegal buildings in the Shwe Kuk Kol area were sealed and confiscated.

The government is continuing to systematically demolish illegal structures and seize equipment used for online fraud and gambling in both Shwe Kuk Kol and KK Park, with a multi-agency team comprising security forces, administrative bodies and local officials.