Troops from the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) raided suspected call centres in Shwe Kokko, Myanmar, last night and rounded up more than 1,000 people of various nationalities for questioning. Most are Chinese citizens.
The raid was ordered by Maj-Gen Saw Chit Thu, leader of the BGF, as part of the ongoing trilateral campaign to stamp out Chinese-run scam call centres in the Myawaddy and Tachileik border townships of Myanmar.
BGF troops, in full combat gear, searched high-rise buildings in Shwe Kokko, believed to house scam call centres. Many computers were seized.
In Bangkok last night, Thai police arrested 15 Chinese nationals in raids on six condominium units in the Rama 9 area for alleged involvement in illegal online gambling operations.
More than 20 computers and over 10 smart phones, contraband cigarettes and gambling equipment were seized. The remains of three ant-eating pangolins were also found in one of the rooms.
Police say that they will also freeze about nine million baht in ‘digital money’, discovered among bank details found in the rooms.
All of the Chinese nationals were charged with organising online gambling, working without a permit and possession of contraband.
