China continues to help Myanmar crack down on fraud, online scams

Myanmar hands over 1,207 online scam suspects, including 41 on the wanted list of the Chinese police, to China on Sept 6, 2023. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Myanmar handed over 1,207 online scam suspects, including 41 on the wanted list of the Chinese police, to China on Wednesday, said the Ministry of Public Security on Friday.

Given the current grim and complex situation of telecom and online fraud crimes in northern Myanmar, the Ministry of Public Security deployed public security organs in Yunnan and other places to continue to crack down on them.

Under the deployment of the ministry and Yunnan provincial public security department, the public security organs of Pu'er have actively carried out border police cooperation with relevant local law enforcement departments in Myanmar, and timely informed them of the situation.

Myanmar hands over 1,207 online scam suspects, including 41 on the wanted list of the Chinese police, to China on Sept 6, 2023. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

On Sept 6, law enforcement departments in Myanmar carried out arrest operations and handed over 1,207 suspects involved in fraud, as well as a large number of criminal tools such as computers, mobile phones, SIM cards and bank cards, to Chinese police, said the ministry.

The public security organs are investigating the suspects. For those suspected of fraud, illegally crossing the border and committing other crimes, the public security organs will impose severe punishment on them based on criminal facts.

Myanmar hands over 1,207 online scam suspects, including 41 on the wanted list of the Chinese police, to China on Sept 6, 2023. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The police will conduct a thorough investigation into the clues about Chinese citizens who are illegally detained abroad, and urge law enforcement departments of relevant countries and regions to severely punish criminals and resolutely protect the personal safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens, it said.

On Sept 3, police in Yunnan's Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture and police in Myanmar successfully dismantled 11 fraud networks in northern Myanmar in a joint operation, detaining 269 suspects, including 186 Chinese nationals. The Chinese criminals were handed over to Chinese police and repatriated.