Photo: Screenshot of video from guancha.cn

A total of 92 Chinese suspects involved in cross-border telecom and online scams, including 14 fugitives wanted online, were apprehended and transferred to China in a recent joint operation cracking down on criminal dens in the China-Myanmar border area by law enforcement departments from both China and Myanmar. This marks the latest effort in the ongoing combat against telecom frauds from northern Myanmar targeting Chinese residents, Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

To deepen the crackdown on cross-border telecom fraud in northern Myanmar targeting Chinese residents and further eliminate the telecom and online fraud dens, China's Ministry of Public Security deployed the public security organs in Pu'er, Southwest China's Yunnan Province to carry out the joint operation with the local law enforcement departments in Myanmar.

This operation represents another significant achievement in police cooperation cracking down on internet fraud by the Chinese and Myanmar authorities following the transferring of 352 Chinese suspects apprehended in northern Myanmar's Muse area in a joint operation in March.

The 92 Chinese suspects caught in northern Myanmar's Wa State include eight key figures and 14 fugitives wanted online. A large number of mobile phones, laptops and other criminal items were seized by the police in the operation.

Through investigation, the group of suspects were found hiding in a basement in Wa State, impersonating soldiers and carrying out fraudulent investment scams through social networking.

So far, all the suspects and evidence items involved in the case have been smoothly transferred to the Chinese side through the border port of Menglian county in Yunnan. China's Ministry of Public Security has deployed the public security organs in East China's Shandong Province and other places to bring back the suspects and investigate the case.

Since 2023, China's Ministry of Public Security has been deepening international and border law enforcement cooperation with Myanmar in an effort to resolutely curb the frequent and high incidence of telecom fraud originating from northern Myanmar. A series of joint actions conducted by the authorities have resulted in the transfer of 49,000 Chinese fraud suspects to China, contributing to the improvement of the situation regarding telecom fraud originating from northern Myanmar involving Chinese citizens.

However, there are still a few telecom fraud criminals in northern Myanmar's Wa State who harbor illusions, resist stubbornly and attempt to evade punishment.

Officials from the Ministry of Public Security said that in response to the situation of telecom fraud related to Chinese citizens in northern Myanmar, the public security organs will maintain their unchanged resolution and will not reduce their efforts. They will further strengthen international and border law enforcement cooperation and continuously increase strength in combating such crimes with special actions to comprehensively eradicate fraud dens, apprehend individuals involved in fraud in accordance with laws, and resolutely eliminate the "poisonous tumors" of telecom fraud crimes related to China in northern Myanmar, to effectively safeguard the property security and the legitimate rights and interests of the people.

According to state broadcaster China Central Television, Chinese and Myanmar police cooperated internationally, arresting 807 suspects involved in cross-border telecom fraud in the Muse area. Among them, 455 were Myanmar nationals and 352 were Chinese nationals. All Chinese suspects had been transferred to China as of March 31.

Global Times