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Myanmar’s proliferating scam centers

Facility where a man who escaped and later spoke to Nikkei was held Scroll Visual Investigation These borderland 'prisons' have three common features July 11, 2025 The number of scam centers in eastern Myanmar is expanding at a rapid pace. Even after a large-scale crackdown in February, construction has continued -- underscoring that criminal hubs have not been eradicated.

After the 2021 military coup, Myanmar's civil war intensified, leaving the central government unable to maintain effective control over the Myawaddy region. In May, the U.S. sanctioned BGF leader Saw Chit Thu and his family members, accusing them of facilitating scams and human trafficking. When internal documents obtained by the advocacy group Justice for Myanmar (JFM) were cross-referenced against the sanctions list, two sanctioned individuals -- Saw Min Min Oo and Saw Htoo Eh Moo -- were found to be listed as officers of three companies suspected of investing in these scam centers.

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