Mizzima-Mar 10
Investigations have revealed that Chinese nationals continue to operate online money laundering schemes in the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA)-controlled areas of Kyaukhet, Walle, and Minletpan villages near Myawaddy, Karen State. On 5 March, a DKBA official held a press conference announcing that 443 victims of human trafficking involved in online fraud operations would be repatriated. The group includes individuals from Ethiopia, Kenya, Indonesia, and Laos, but no Chinese nationals were among them. Earlier, on 12 February, the DKBA handed over 261 foreign nationals to Thailand, again excluding any Chinese detainees. This has raised concerns that Chinese mafias linked to these illicit operations continue to operate in the region. “I don’t know if they came before or after us, but we have warned them that illegal activities will not be tolerated. Despite this, they have constructed massive buildings here, larger than anything seen in Karen State. These people are not kind, they are inhumane, only focused on making money. We have made it clear that they cannot continue like this anymore,” said Major General Saw San Aung, DKBA’s Chief of Staff.
In February, the Chinese government launched Operation Zinyaw, a campaign targeting cross-border online money laundering networks known as Kyar Phyant, which have proliferated along the Thai-Myanmar border in Karen State.
Despite increased scrutiny and crackdowns, the persistence of these operations suggests that Chinese-run online money laundering remains deeply entrenched in DKBA-controlled areas. Read more at: https://eng.mizzima.com/2025/03/10/19931
