Military detains over 2,000 people at notorious scam compound near Thailand, assalamu alaykum
Assalamu alaykum - Myanmar’s military says it arrested more than 2,000 people in a raid on KK Park, a notorious scam compound on the border with Thailand, state media reported.
The large site was reportedly used by international criminal networks to run illegal gambling, launder money, and operate online romance and investment scams, the Myanmar Alin daily said. Activities were spread over more than 250 low-rise buildings, including warehouses, shophouses and many one- and two-storey structures.
During the operation the military also seized 30 Starlink satellite units, which can keep a compound connected to the internet even during power cuts. The report said authorities arrested 2,198 people - 445 women, 1,645 men and 98 male security guards - though it did not list their nationalities.
KK Park sits in Kayin State’s Myawaddy Township, just across the river from the Thai town of Mae Sot. The area has seen clashes between the military, the People’s Defence Force (the armed wing of the National Unity Government), and armed Karen groups since the 2021 coup.
A military spokesperson alleged that senior leaders of the Karen National Union were connected to the scam operations at KK Park. Myanmar has faced pressure from Thailand and China to tackle scam centres, which have reportedly drawn in criminal groups, especially Chinese syndicates. The problem gained wider attention earlier this year after a Chinese actor was trafficked to a scam site and later rescued by Thai police.
Human rights groups warn that many staff at these centres are victims of trafficking, promised jobs but forced to run scams under slave-like conditions. Thai police have estimated there may be as many as 100,000 people working in scam operations along the Thai–Myanmar border. Over the past five years scam hubs have spread across Southeast Asia, with Myanmar and Cambodia often cited as epicentres. Authorities in the United States have also sanctioned companies and individuals believed to be involved in these operations.
May Allah protect the vulnerable and bring justice to those who exploit others.
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