Crackdown on Chinese Cyber Scams in Southeast Asia Nets Thousands, Fails to Dismantle Criminal Networks

Despite Returning 2,317 Suspects to China, Joint Police Operations Fail to Target Local Elites and Criminal Networks Fueling Cyber Scams in Southeast Asia

• Despite sweeping crackdowns that have netted thousands of suspects, Chinese and regional authorities have failed to dismantle the powerful criminal syndicates that operate cyber scam networks in Southeast Asia.
• Experts state that while these operations target scapegoats, the local elites who run the scams hand-in-hand with Chinese bosses are left untouched, allowing scams to resurface elsewhere once an operation is shut down.
• Cyber scam operations in the region are linked with China's Belt and Road Initiative, with many of the syndicates operating in areas financed by Chinese construction projects.
• The victims lured into working for these cyber scams are often duped by job offers, and are not only forced to scam others, but face physical punishments if they fail to meet expectations.
• Although China's Ministry of Public Security has claimed success through their operations, returing more than 2,000 suspects from Myanmar to China, this measure fails to address the root of the problem, as the criminal networks remain intact.

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