Trapped In Myanmar’s Scam Compounds. Sold, Beaten, And Silenced. Escape Or Organ Harvesting, The Brutal Choice Facing Scam Victims In Myanmar
Trapped in one of Myanmar’s remote scam compound with high white walls, hundreds of men and women stand in silent rows, separated by nationality. Even as armed guards patrol the perimeter, their eyes scanning for signs of defiance – a voice booms across the courtyard, asking – “Do you want to go home?” A sea of hands rise, their voices echoing the same desperate plea: “Yes.”
This is a harrowing scene, that was captured in a video obtained by a leading international media, and offers a glimpse into the brutal reality of Myanmar’s scam compounds – dens of cyber fraud where thousands are held captive, forced to scam unsuspecting victims across the world.
The recent release of around 7,000 detainees has cast a spotlight on an industry that thrives in the shadows, run by criminal gangs and warlords along Myanmar’s border with Thailand.
While some end up in these compounds by choice, lured by the promise of high-paying jobs; they are scores of others who are trafficked – sold false dreams of lucrative employment, only to find themselves trapped in a nightmare of coercion, violence, and threats of organ harvesting if they try to escape.
For years, these scam operations, many controlled by Chinese crime syndicates – have flourished, raking in billions through fraudulent investment schemes and romance scams.
To be noted that despite a much-publicized crackdown by the Chinese and Thai governments earlier this year, experts warn that these criminal networks are far from finished. If anything, they’re evolving and becoming more sophisticated, more dangerous, and more difficult to dismantle. The reason, billions of dollars are being invested in these businesses.
The rise of AI-powered scams, deepfake technology, and crypto-based money laundering has only strengthened these syndicates, enabling them to expand beyond Southeast Asia into parts of Africa, South Asia, and even the Gulf.
The grim reality is that while thousands have been freed, an estimated 100,000 people remain trapped in these compounds. And with every crackdown, the risk grows that captives will simply be moved to new locations, further out of reach, further out of sight.
Scam City, Inside Myanmar’s Cyber Fraud Hub
In the heart of Myanmar’s lawless borderlands, a hidden city thrives – one built not on trade or industry, but on deception and exploitation. Myawaddy, a town on the frontier with Thailand, has become a hub for sprawling scam compounds, operated with impunity by ethnic militias and transnational crime syndicates.
One of the most notorious among them is KK Park, a vast, purpose-built enclave designed to resemble a legitimate business district. Lined with paved roads, manicured lawns, and even a hotel, it projects an air of normalcy, but behind its polished facade lies a grim reality.
Inside, rows of men and women are crammed into whitewashed rooms, sleeping on thin duvets strewn across the floor. Nearby courtyards are filled with captives sitting in crouched lines, their faces obscured by masks, their clothes hung out to dry on makeshift balcony railings.
Myanmar’s Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) recently staged a controlled press visit to KK Park, ostensibly to showcase its efforts to combat cyber fraud. Armed soldiers with semi-automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers escorted journalists through select buildings, where hundreds of people – alleged victims and workers of the scam compounds – awaited an uncertain fate. The BGF claimed they had been rescued, but their ordeal was far from over.
“These operations have scammed people from South America, North America, Africa, and Arabic-speaking countries,” said Thai lawmaker Kannavee Suebsang, who has been at the forefront of efforts to dismantle these illicit networks.
China’s Crackdown and the Shifting Sands of Crime
Following the high-profile abduction of a Chinese actor to a scam center in Myawaddy earlier this year, Beijing and Bangkok exerted significant pressure on Myanmar’s armed groups to rein in the trafficking operations. The resulting crackdowns have disrupted some syndicates, but many have simply relocated deeper into Myanmar’s war-torn interior or expanded to other scam hubs in the region.
For years, these compounds have operated under the protection of corruption and the chaotic civil war that has gripped Myanmar since the military coup in 2021. As the junta battles multiple resistance factions, the criminal syndicates have exploited the power vacuum to solidify their operations. Analysts estimate that Southeast Asian scam networks collectively rake in over $43 billion annually—nearly 40% of the combined GDP of Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar.
Even as thousands of people are being released in Myawaddy, illicit activity and recruitment continue – already seeing partial displacement into other areas.
The criminal groups behind these scams are constantly adapting, leveraging cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and deepfake technology to evolve their methods and evade law enforcement.
The Shadowy Role of Myanmar’s Border Militias
While the BGF and other militias position themselves as allies in the fight against cyber fraud, their role in enabling these operations cannot be overlooked.
The BGF, which has controlled swathes of Myawaddy since 2016, has long been accused of renting land to Chinese syndicates and profiting from their activities.
“The Border Guard Force has a financial stake in every single one of these projects,” says Jason Tower, Myanmar country director at the United States Institute of Peace. “It’s their main source of revenue, and they use it to buy weapons and recruit troops.”
Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation is now seeking an arrest warrant for BGF leader Saw Chit Thu and two of his associates on human trafficking charges. While Chit Thu denies involvement, the reality is that these armed groups have directly benefited from the scam industry’s explosive growth.
China, once a key supporter of Myanmar’s military, has grown increasingly frustrated with the surge of cyber fraud operations along its border. Beijing has ramped up pressure on Thailand to intervene, and some analysts suggest it may even use the situation to expand its security presence in Myanmar, possibly influencing the ongoing civil war to its advantage.
A Crisis Without an End in Sight
Despite international efforts, dismantling Myanmar’s scam industry remains a near-impossible task. The country is fractured, its military preoccupied with internal conflict, and its borderlands ruled by opportunistic militias with deep financial ties to criminal enterprises.
Adding to the uncertainty, Myanmar is now struggling with the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake in Sagaing region, which has killed over 2,700 people. In a country already overwhelmed by war and corruption, the scam compounds are just one of many crises feeding off the chaos.
What about those left behind?
Even for the roughly 7,000 victims and workers rounded up in recent operations, the path to freedom remains uncertain. Many are stuck in limbo, unable to return home as bureaucratic hurdles and logistical challenges delay their repatriation. Armed groups have urged Thailand to allow these individuals to cross the border, arguing that they lack the resources to provide for them.
China, which has the highest number of nationals trapped in these scam compounds, has taken decisive action, flying thousands of its citizens home. India, too, has managed to repatriate over 500 of its people. However, Thailand is struggling with an overwhelming backlog of victims from more than 20 countries, turning the crisis into a complex humanitarian emergency.
“The situation is spiraling into a full-blown humanitarian crisis,” said Jason Tower of the United States Institute of Peace. “Managing an operation of this scale, involving people from diverse backgrounds and nationalities, with limited time and resources, is extremely challenging.”
Rescue efforts have had some success. In February, Kannavee led a mission that freed 260 people after negotiations with the DKBA. Footage from the operation captured relieved victims boarding a small Thai-flagged ferry to cross the Moei River into Thailand. But even after reaching safety, their struggles continued. Many remain stuck in temporary shelters, waiting for repatriation.
For the families of those still trapped inside, every day is an agonizing wait for news. One woman from the Philippines, recounted how her husband was lured by a fake tech support job offer in Thailand, only to be trafficked into Myanmar. He was forced to work grueling 17-hour shifts, scamming victims online without pay. When he resisted, he faced torture and threats.
She stated, they told him that if we catch you with a phone again, we’ll sell you and take your kidney or your eyes, describing the horrific threats he endured.
Another harrowing video shows a Pakistani national being tortured with electric shocks inside one of the compounds, his desperate screams echoing off the bathroom tiles. Survivors say punishments range from beatings to forced labor and prolonged isolation in dark rooms. Escape often requires paying exorbitant ransoms or recruiting fresh victims.
Some families have lost contact with their loved ones entirely, fearing they have been moved deeper into Myanmar’s interior or worse, subjected to further abuse. One woman from China, whose sibling was trapped in a scam center, described months of uncertainty.
For now, the fate of thousands remains uncertain.
Myanmar’s fractured state, ongoing civil war, and lack of a legitimate government make dismantling the scam industry a near-impossible task. Without a coordinated global effort, the cycle of exploitation will likely continue, moving from one border town to another, trapping countless more in its grip.
