Myanmar’s military government has launched a sweeping crackdown on a notorious cybercrime hub near its border with Thailand, detaining more than 2,000 people and seizing dozens of Starlink satellite internet terminals in a move that has drawn renewed international attention to the region’s role in global online fraud. The operation, which began in early September 2025, targeted the sprawling KK Park compound in Myawaddy, Kayin state—a location long associated with online scams, illegal gambling, and cross-border cybercrime.
According to state media reports cited by Myanma Alinn and other outlets, the raid resulted in the detention of 2,198 individuals and the confiscation of over 30 Starlink terminals. The military also uncovered more than 260 unregistered buildings within KK Park, underscoring the scale and complexity of the illicit operations running there. Photos published in local newspapers showed soldiers carrying out the raid and displaying the seized Starlink equipment, though the exact timing of the images wasn’t specified.
The crackdown comes amid mounting international concern over Southeast Asia’s emergence as a global hub for sophisticated cyberscam operations. Myanmar, in particular, has gained notoriety for hosting scam centers that lure victims worldwide with romantic ploys, fake investment pitches, and other fraudulent schemes. These centers are infamous for recruiting workers from other countries under false pretenses—promising legitimate jobs but then holding them captive and forcing them into criminal activities, according to reporting by The Independent and IndiaTimes.
The recent operation in Myawaddy follows a wave of international law enforcement actions in the region. Just last week, the United States and Britain imposed sanctions on the organizers of a major Cambodian cyberscam gang, whose alleged ringleader was indicted by a federal court in New York. These developments have placed renewed pressure on regional governments to clamp down on cybercrime networks that often operate with impunity along porous borders.
KK Park, the focal point of the latest crackdown, is located on the outskirts of Myawaddy, a major trading town that straddles the border with Thailand. The area is only loosely under the control of Myanmar’s military government and is also influenced by ethnic minority militias, making law enforcement efforts particularly challenging. The military’s operation at KK Park is part of a broader campaign to suppress online fraud, illegal gambling, and other forms of cross-border cybercrime, according to Myanma Alinn.
In a statement Monday night, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, spokesperson for Myanmar’s military government, leveled serious allegations against the Karen National Union (KNU)—an armed ethnic organization that opposes military rule. He claimed that the KNU’s top leaders were involved in the scam projects at KK Park, citing previous claims that a company backed by the Karen group had allowed the land to be leased for the operation. Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun asserted, “The top leaders of the Karen National Union were involved in the scam projects at KK Park.”
The Karen National Union, however, has forcefully denied any involvement in the illicit activities. As noted by The Independent, the KNU is part of the broader armed resistance movement in Myanmar’s ongoing civil conflict and has repeatedly rejected accusations of complicity in cybercrime. A spokesperson for the group stated, “We categorically deny any connection to these scams or the operations at KK Park.”
One of the most striking aspects of the raid was the military’s seizure of more than 30 Starlink satellite internet terminals. Starlink, a subsidiary of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, operates a global satellite internet network but does not have officially licensed operations in Myanmar. Despite this, hundreds of Starlink terminals appear to have been smuggled into the country, providing high-speed connectivity to remote scam centers that would otherwise be cut off from the outside world. Starlink’s official policy, as cited by Myanma Alinn, bans “conduct that is defamatory, fraudulent, obscene, or deceptive.” The company has not yet issued a public statement regarding the seizures or the apparent misuse of its technology in Myanmar.
The military did not disclose the nationalities of the 2,198 individuals detained in the raid. However, previous investigations and rescue operations have revealed that scam centers in Myanmar routinely exploit foreign workers—often trafficking them from neighboring countries under the guise of legitimate employment, only to force them into criminal enterprises upon arrival. This pattern was starkly illustrated in February 2025, when a joint operation by China, Thailand, and Myanmar led to the rescue of thousands of people who had been trafficked into scam compounds. That effort, which involved cooperation with ethnic armed groups controlling parts of Myanmar’s border regions, underscored both the human cost of the cybercrime epidemic and the difficulties of policing such activities in contested territories.
The crackdown at KK Park is not the first of its kind. Myanmar’s military has conducted similar raids in previous years, often in response to pressure from neighboring governments alarmed by the proliferation of cybercrime. Yet, the persistence of these operations—despite repeated interventions—highlights the deep-rooted challenges facing authorities. The loose control exerted by the central government in border areas, the involvement of armed groups, and the lucrative nature of online scams have all contributed to the resilience of these criminal networks.
International observers have welcomed the latest crackdown but caution that sustained, coordinated action will be necessary to dismantle the region’s cybercrime infrastructure. The recent sanctions imposed by the United States and Britain on Cambodian scam organizers signal a growing willingness among global powers to target the financial and logistical enablers of online fraud. However, as long as demand for illicit profits remains high and the rule of law remains patchy in border regions, experts warn that new scam centers may simply spring up to replace those shuttered by law enforcement.
For now, the fate of the 2,198 detainees—and the future of KK Park—remains uncertain. The military’s actions have underscored Myanmar’s central role in the global cybercrime landscape, while also highlighting the difficulties of eradicating such entrenched operations. As the world’s attention turns once again to the Thai-Myanmar border, the hope is that this latest crackdown will mark a turning point in the fight against online scams that have victimized people across continents.
The events unfolding in Myawaddy offer a sobering glimpse into the complex, high-stakes world of international cybercrime, and the ongoing struggle to bring its perpetrators to justice.
