Overview

• The Thai army announced the repatriation of 260 trafficking victims rescued from scam centers in Myanmar's Myawaddy district, near the Thai border.
• The victims, including 221 men and 39 women, were from 20 countries, with the largest group being Ethiopians, followed by individuals from Kenya, the Philippines, and China.
• Myanmar has become a hub for online scam operations run by criminal syndicates, exploiting thousands of trafficked workers to execute fraudulent schemes such as fake investment pitches and illegal gambling.
• The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, an ethnic militia group in Myanmar, played a key role in rescuing the victims and transferring them to Thai authorities.
• Thai officials, under increased pressure from China, have intensified efforts to combat scam networks, including cutting off utilities to border areas where these operations thrive.