Latest news with #NaingMaungZaw
The Star
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Militia group sanctioned by the US for ‘facilitating cyber scams'
AN ETHNIC militia in southeastern Myanmar that has been sanctioned by the United States for alleged involvement in human trafficking and online scams has denied the accusations. The US Treasury Department had earlier announced sanctions against the Karen National Army, or KNA, as well as its leader Col. Saw Chit Thu and his sons, Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit. They are accused of 'facilitating cyber scams that harm US citizens, human trafficking and cross-border smuggling,' according to a Treasury Department statement. 'Cyber scam operations, such as those run by the KNA, generate billions in revenue for criminal kingpins and their associates, while depriving victims of their hard-earned savings and sense of security,' said Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender. Those who are hired to carry out the scams have often been tricked into taking the jobs under false pretences and find themselves trapped in virtual slavery. Saw Chit Thu has already been sanctioned by the European Union and the UK for profiting from scam compounds and human trafficking. Lt Col Naing Maung Zaw, a spokesperson for the KNA – which operates as the Karen ethnic minority's official Border Guard Force affiliated with the military government – said KNA's activities are aimed at regional development and not related to scams. Naing Maung Zaw said scam operations were carried out not only in areas controlled by the KNA but also in other places in Myawaddy. He acknowledged that his group rented land to some businesses holding the property where scam centres were located and said the KNA would continue with its mass repatriation of the foreigners working in scam centres, as well as continue to work toward the elimination of scam activities. — AP
AsiaOne
07-05-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
US puts sanctions on Myanmar warlord and militia linked to cyber scams, World News
WASHINGTON -The United States imposed sanctions on Monday (May 5) on a Myanmar warlord, his two sons and the militia he leads for facilitating cyber scams, human trafficking and cross-border smuggling, the Treasury Department said. The Treasury said the warlord, Saw Chit Thu, is a central figure in a network of illicit and highly lucrative cyberscam operations targeting Americans. Hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked by criminal gangs across Southeast Asia in recent years and forced to work in the scam operations, according to the United Nations. The move puts financial sanctions on Saw Chit Thu, the Karen National Army that he heads, and his two sons, Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit, the department said in a statement, freezing any US assets they may hold and generally barring Americans from doing business with them. Britain and the European Union have already imposed sanctions on Saw Chit Thu. The Karen National Army is headquartered in Shwe Kokko, a so-called "Special Economic Zone" along the Thai-Myanmar border, where the militia leases land and provides security for compounds where trafficked individuals are forced into scamming strangers online, the statement said. "Cyber scam operations, such as those run by the KNA, generate billions in revenue for criminal kingpins and their associates, while depriving victims of their hard-earned savings and sense of security," said Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender. Naing Maung Zaw, a spokesperson for the KNA, said Saw Chit Thu was saddened by news of the US sanctions but that they "will not affect us in any way". "I really cannot understand why this happened when we ... are working to crack down on scam centres and repatriate victims to their respective countries," Naing Maung Zaw said. "We will continue the work we have started." Saw Chit Thu's ties to Myanmar's military rulers, evidenced by an honorary title for "outstanding performance" conferred on him by junta chief Min Aung Hlaing in November 2022, have helped him build his position. [[nid:714795]] Washington has imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Myanmar's junta and its sources of income since the military toppled the elected government of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, igniting a spiraling civil war. Monday's sanctions were the first Myanmar-related sanctions imposed since President Donald Trump took office in January. The Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network last week proposed banning Cambodian financial firm Huione Group from the US financial system over its alleged role in laundering illicit funds from cyber heists and online scams.
Winnipeg Free Press
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
US imposes sanctions on Myanmar ethnic militia for 'facilitating cyber scams'
BANGKOK (AP) — An ethnic militia in southeastern Myanmar that has been sanctioned by the United States for alleged involvement in human trafficking and online scams on Tuesday denied the accusations. The U.S. Treasury Department on Monday announced sanctions against the Karen National Army, or KNA, as well as its leader Col. Saw Chit Thu and his sons, Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit. They are accused of 'facilitating cyber scams that harm U.S. citizens, human trafficking, and cross-border smuggling,' according to a Treasury Department statement. 'Cyber scam operations, such as those run by the KNA, generate billions in revenue for criminal kingpins and their associates, while depriving victims of their hard-earned savings and sense of security,' said Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender. 'Treasury is committed to using all available tools to disrupt these networks and hold accountable those who seek to profit from these criminal schemes.' FILE - Thai soldiers provide security for the transfer of Chinese nationals who had worked at scam centers in eastern Myanmar, on their arrival at Thailand's Mae Sot International Airport, Tak province before being sent back to China on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Sarot Meksophawannakul, File) Those who are hired to carry out the scams have often been tricked into taking the jobs under false pretences and find themselves trapped in virtual slavery. The sanctions block the targeted individuals and their companies from accessing money and assets under U.S. control, and prohibit U.S. citizens from providing financial services to them. Saw Chit Thu has already been sanctioned by the European Union and the U.K. for profiting from scam compounds and human trafficking. Lt. Col. Naing Maung Zaw, a spokesperson for the KNA — which operates as the Karen ethnic minority's official Border Guard Force affiliated with Myanmar's military government — said the group's activities are aimed at regional development and not related to cyber scams. He described the U.S. sanctions as a deliberate act of abasement by a powerful country over a weaker one. 'They are doing it because they can,' he told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Local militias in several border regions have de facto control in areas where their minority groups are dominant. The KNA controls Shwe Kokko and some areas in Myawaddy, on the border with Thailand in the state of Kayin, also known as Karen state. Shwe Kokko and Myawaddy are known havens for criminal syndicates that have forced hundreds of thousands of people in Southeast Asia and elsewhere into helping run online scams, including romantic ploys, bogus investment pitches and illegal gambling schemes. Critics have accused the KNA of being involved in the criminal activities, at least to the extent of providing protection to the scam centers. Naing Maung Zaw said scam operations were carried out not only in areas controlled by the KNA but also in other places in Myawaddy. Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter He acknowledged that his group rented land to some businesses holding the property where scam centers were located and said the KNA would continue with its mass repatriation of the foreigners working in scam centers, which it carries out in cooperation with the military government. He said 7,454 of 8,575 foreign scam workers have been repatriated through Thailand following a crackdown on the scam centers by Thailand, Myanmar and China in February. Naing Maung Zaw said more than 10,000 people remain to be identified in the KNA-controlled areas, and the group will continue to work toward the elimination of scam activities. Kayin state, which is dominated by the Karen ethnic minority, has seen intense armed conflict since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. The U.S. has previously imposed sanctions on Myanmar's military leaders, their suppliers and state-owned banks in connection with alleged human rights abuses
06-05-2025
- Politics
US imposes sanctions on Myanmar ethnic militia for 'facilitating cyber scams'
BANGKOK -- An ethnic militia in southeastern Myanmar that has been sanctioned by the United States for alleged involvement in human trafficking and online scams on Tuesday denied the accusations. The U.S. Treasury Department on Monday announced sanctions against the Karen National Army, or KNA, as well as its leader Col. Saw Chit Thu and his sons, Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit. They are accused of 'facilitating cyber scams that harm U.S. citizens, human trafficking, and cross-border smuggling,' according to a Treasury Department statement. 'Cyber scam operations, such as those run by the KNA, generate billions in revenue for criminal kingpins and their associates, while depriving victims of their hard-earned savings and sense of security,' said Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender. 'Treasury is committed to using all available tools to disrupt these networks and hold accountable those who seek to profit from these criminal schemes.' Those who are hired to carry out the scams have often been tricked into taking the jobs under false pretences and find themselves trapped in virtual slavery. The sanctions block the targeted individuals and their companies from accessing money and assets under U.S. control, and prohibit U.S. citizens from providing financial services to them. Saw Chit Thu has already been sanctioned by the European Union and the U.K. for profiting from scam compounds and human trafficking. Lt. Col. Naing Maung Zaw, a spokesperson for the KNA — which operates as the Karen ethnic minority's official Border Guard Force affiliated with Myanmar's military government — said the group's activities are aimed at regional development and not related to cyber scams. He described the U.S. sanctions as a deliberate act of abasement by a powerful country over a weaker one. 'They are doing it because they can,' he told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Local militias in several border regions have de facto control in areas where their minority groups are dominant. The KNA controls Shwe Kokko and some areas in Myawaddy, on the border with Thailand in the state of Kayin, also known as Karen state. Shwe Kokko and Myawaddy are known havens for criminal syndicates that have forced hundreds of thousands of people in Southeast Asia and elsewhere into helping run online scams, including romantic ploys, bogus investment pitches and illegal gambling schemes. Critics have accused the KNA of being involved in the criminal activities, at least to the extent of providing protection to the scam centers. Naing Maung Zaw said scam operations were carried out not only in areas controlled by the KNA but also in other places in Myawaddy. He acknowledged that his group rented land to some businesses holding the property where scam centers were located and said the KNA would continue with its mass repatriation of the foreigners working in scam centers, which it carries out in cooperation with the military government. He said 7,454 of 8,575 foreign scam workers have been repatriated through Thailand following a crackdown on the scam centers by Thailand, Myanmar and China in February. Naing Maung Zaw said more than 10,000 people remain to be identified in the KNA-controlled areas, and the group will continue to work toward the elimination of scam activities. Kayin state, which is dominated by the Karen ethnic minority, has seen intense armed conflict since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. The U.S. has previously imposed sanctions on Myanmar's military leaders, their suppliers and state-owned banks in connection with alleged human rights abuses
Arab News
27-02-2025
- Arab News
‘Escaping hell': Pakistanis among Myanmar scam center workers pleading to go home
MYAWADDY: Hundreds of exhausted young men lie in an open-sided detention center in a seedy Myanmar border town, sweating through thick tropical heat by day and prey to clouds of mosquitoes by night. They are among some 7,000 people from more than two dozen countries released from scam compounds who are now enduring a grueling wait to be sent home through Thailand. Conditions in the overcrowded temporary camp visited by AFP in the town of Myawaddy, near the Thai border, were squalid and those held there were begging to leave. 'It's really no good,' one 18-year-old Malaysian man told AFP, saying the toilets and showers were so dirty they were unusable. 'I hope I can contact my parents quickly so I can go.' A Chinese detainee who gave his family name as Wang said he was 'very happy' at the prospect of getting out. 'I can finally escape this hell... China is the safest,' he said. 'Help me, help me, help me' Scam centers have sprung up in Myanmar's lawless border areas in recent years as part of a criminal industry worth billions of dollars a year. Thousands of foreign workers staff the centers, trawling social media for victims to fleece, often through romance or investment cons. Many workers say they were trafficked or tricked into taking the work and suffer beatings and abuse, though the government in China — where most come from — regards them as criminal suspects. Under heavy pressure from Beijing, Myanmar's junta and allied militias have taken action to curb the centers. The 'crackdown' has so far involved armed uniformed men coming to the sites and asking for volunteers to leave and go home, several freed workers told AFP in Myawaddy. But processing the workers for repatriation has been slow, leaving them trapped in limbo, smoking and playing cards to pass the time in the detention facility, which has a roof but no walls to keep the elements and insects out. Many had their passports confiscated by scam center bosses, and those AFP spoke to said their mobile phones were taken away. An Indian man who said he was tricked into working in the scam centers after applying for a data entry job in Thailand, told AFP he had contacted his embassy in Bangkok several times. He begged them 'help me, help me, help me. But no one helps me,' he said. 'The feeling is not good because we are in trouble right now.' Myanmar's raging civil war has complicated efforts to tackle the scam compounds, as most are in areas outside the ruling junta's control. The Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), an independent militia allied to the junta, controls two of the most notorious scam towns, Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko. The BGF released thousands from illegal scam compounds last week and wants to swiftly deport them to neighboring Thailand for repatriation, saying it is struggling to cope with looking after so many people. 'People have to stay in cramped conditions,' said its spokesman Naing Maung Zaw. 'We have to cook three meals to feed thousands of people and arrange their health care,' he said, adding he was worried about a possible outbreak of contagious diseases. Struggling to cope The United Nations estimates that as many as 120,000 people — many of them Chinese men — may be working in Myanmar scam centers against their will. Gangs that run the compounds lure people with promises of high-paying jobs, then force them to defraud people from around the world or face severe punishment and abuse. The sites on the Thai-Myanmar border vary in how they treat their staff, analysts say, and Thai officials have claimed that a majority of workers go there intentionally. Victims released from smaller compounds claim that as a more sophisticated operation, Shwe Kokko — one of the area's biggest scam hubs — draws more people who willingly go there to commit fraud. But 'not everyone living in Shwe Kokko is a criminal,' Naing Maung Zaw said. A Chinese man surnamed Shen denied allegations that the scam center workers had traveled to Myanmar intentionally, saying he had been tricked and forced. 'If I did it voluntarily, I would take all legal responsibilities,' he said. But so far China has treated all returning detainees — 600 were sent back last week — as suspects, with state TV showing them marched off the plane in handcuffs by police on their return home. Thailand, Myanmar and China are expected to hold three-way talks in the coming weeks to arrange logistics for further repatriations, with Thailand saying it is working with over a dozen foreign embassies. One of 14 detained Pakistani men who hoped to return before Ramadan said he felt abandoned by authorities after hearing of other repatriations. 'We know we're safe now. But it's been eight days. So why can't we go to Thailand now?' he told AFP. Stretched for resources to look after the hundreds of foreigners in their charge, Naing Maung Zaw pleaded to foreign embassies to 'come and take your nationals ... They want to go home.'
