China raises stakes in cyberscam crackdown in Myanmar, though loopholes remain

By HUIZHONG WU
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — China has intensified a crackdown on online scams operated in border areas of Myanmar. The drive has been showcased by confession videos and national TV broadcasts of arrests of high-profile suspects. But the drive is confined to a limited area and appears unlikely to root out the criminal syndicates operating the human trafficking and other illicit activities of those running the scams that cheat people of their savings via phone calls and online schemes. Such schemes are thought to generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue a year. Experts say the crackdown, concentrated on two special zones close to China’s border with military-ruled Myanmar, will hinder but probably not stop the scammers’ operations.