On Sunday, December 14, 2025, Myanmar’s military government issued a resounding call to the international community: help repatriate hundreds of foreigners detained during a sweeping crackdown on telecom fraud and illegal online gambling. The appeal, delivered at a press conference by Major General Zaw Min Tun, head of the National Defense and Security Council’s Information Team, underscored the country’s ongoing battle with criminal networks that have turned Myanmar’s borderlands into global scam hotspots.
Major General Zaw Min Tun minced no words as he described the gravity of the situation. According to GamblingNews and NewsNet5, he declared, “Myanmar has a zero tolerance stance on telecom fraud and online gambling and anyone involved will be held fully accountable under the law.” He painted a stark picture of the threat, warning that these crimes not only erode public trust but also destabilize the economy, disrupt national order, and tarnish Myanmar’s international reputation. “These activities undermine public confidence and threaten our national security,” he said, reiterating the government’s firm opposition to such illicit operations.
But where did these criminal enterprises come from? According to both GamblingNews and NewsNet5, the answer lies across Myanmar’s borders. Major General Zaw Min Tun explained that these illegal online fraud and gambling networks weren’t homegrown. Instead, they were established by foreign nationals who entered Myanmar via neighboring countries, exploiting the chaos in regions where government control is thin. These groups, he said, operated under the protection of armed insurgent factions in border areas such as Laukkai and Muse in northern Shan State, and Shwe Kokko, KK Park, and Chongkhaed in Kayin State.
“These networks were not created in Myanmar,” the Major General stated. “They were set up by foreigners who entered through neighboring countries and operated under the protection of armed insurgent groups in border regions with limited government control.”
The problem, while not entirely new, has exploded in recent years. Officials from both GamblingNews and NewsNet5 point to the period after 2019 as a turning point. COVID-19 restrictions and the political instability that followed the 2021 military coup weakened local security, creating fertile ground for criminal networks to flourish. “Criminal networks grew quickly after 2019, as COVID-19 restrictions and subsequent political instability undermined local security,” said Major General Zaw Min Tun. The result? A surge in scam operations that have targeted victims around the globe, often using elaborate schemes to build trust—sometimes through romantic approaches—before luring individuals into fraudulent investment programs.
Myanmar’s reputation as a hub for cyber scam operations now precedes it. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, these criminal activities generate nearly $40 billion every year. The scale is staggering, and the impact is felt far beyond Myanmar’s borders. Victims from dozens of countries have been ensnared by these sophisticated scams, which often begin innocently enough but can quickly spiral into devastating financial losses.
Faced with this mounting crisis, Myanmar’s authorities have launched a determined fightback. Joint operations with China in Laukkai and Muse have led to numerous arrests and repatriations, while trilateral cooperation with China and Thailand is ongoing in the Myawady region. These efforts, officials say, are essential in tackling networks that are as agile as they are ruthless, moving across borders and exploiting gaps in law enforcement.
The numbers tell their own story. Since the crackdown began in January 2025, Major General Aung Kyaw Kyaw, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, reported that 13,272 foreigners from 47 countries have been detained. While most of these individuals have already been deported, around 1,655 remain in detention. Just last month, a single raid on a facility operating online gambling scams resulted in the arrest of more than 300 people. These statistics, reported by both GamblingNews and NewsNet5, highlight the sheer scale of the ongoing enforcement effort.
Yet, despite these actions, the challenge remains immense. Major General Zaw Min Tun made it clear that Myanmar cannot tackle this problem alone. He called on other nations with citizens detained in Myanmar to expedite their repatriation and emphasized the need for continued international collaboration. “Myanmar cannot resolve these issues alone,” he said. “We appeal for ongoing international cooperation.”
The government’s message is unequivocal: there will be no leniency for those involved in these crimes. Major General Zaw Min Tun reiterated the country’s strict zero tolerance policy, warning, “Anyone involved in telecom fraud or online gambling will be held fully accountable under the law.” This hardline stance, officials argue, is necessary to restore public confidence and stem the tide of criminal activity that has undermined the country’s stability.
But the path forward is far from straightforward. The border regions where these networks operate are notoriously difficult to police, with armed insurgent groups holding sway and government authority often limited to major towns. These areas have long been a haven for illicit activity, from drug trafficking to human smuggling, and the rise of cyber scams has only added another layer of complexity.
International cooperation, then, is not just desirable—it’s essential. The trilateral partnership between Myanmar, China, and Thailand in Myawady is a case in point, bringing together law enforcement agencies from three countries to disrupt networks that operate with little regard for national boundaries. But as officials readily admit, more needs to be done. The scale and sophistication of these operations mean that no single country can hope to dismantle them alone.
For the families of those detained, the situation is fraught with uncertainty. Many of the foreigners caught up in the crackdown claim to have been lured to Myanmar with promises of legitimate work, only to find themselves trapped in scam operations run by organized crime groups. Human rights organizations have raised concerns about the conditions in which some detainees are being held, adding another layer of complexity to the already tangled issue of repatriation.
Meanwhile, the international community faces its own set of challenges. Some countries have moved quickly to arrange for the return of their citizens, while others have been slower to act, citing legal, diplomatic, or logistical hurdles. Major General Zaw Min Tun’s appeal for expedited repatriation is as much a plea for practical assistance as it is a statement of principle: Myanmar wants to send a clear message that it will not be a safe haven for cybercriminals, but it needs help to do so.
As Myanmar’s military government continues its crackdown, the world is watching closely. The outcome of this campaign will have implications not just for Myanmar, but for the global fight against cybercrime. In a digital age where borders are increasingly porous, the lessons learned here could shape the response to similar challenges elsewhere.
With thousands detained, billions at stake, and international cooperation hanging in the balance, Myanmar’s struggle against online gambling and telecom fraud is far from over. But one thing is certain: the days when criminal networks could operate with impunity in the country’s borderlands may finally be coming to an end.
