Myanmar Military Raids Major Cybercrime Hub, Detains Over 2,000 People

Myanmar Military Raids Major Cybercrime Hub, Detains Over 2,000 People
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Myanmar’s military has raided a large-scale online scam compound near the Thai border, detaining more than 2,000 people and seizing dozens of Starlink satellite internet terminals, The Guardian reported. The operation targeted KK Park, a notorious cybercrime hub near Myawaddy in Kayin State, as part of ongoing efforts since early September to curb online fraud, illegal gambling, and cross-border cybercrime.

According to state-run newspaper Myanma Alinn, the army found more than 260 unregistered buildings within the compound and confiscated equipment, including 30 Starlink terminals. The report said 2,198 individuals were detained but did not specify their nationalities.

KK Park and similar facilities have been linked to global scam networks that defraud victims through fake investments and online romance schemes. Many workers at these compounds are reportedly trafficked from abroad under false job offers and forced into criminal activities.

Military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun accused leaders of the Karen National Union (KNU), an armed ethnic group opposing the junta, of involvement in the scam operations—a claim the KNU denies.

Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, does not have authorization to operate in Myanmar, though terminals have been widely smuggled into the country. The raid follows previous joint crackdowns by Myanmar and Thailand, carried out under pressure from China, which have rescued thousands of trafficked individuals from scam centers across the region.