Casinos, high-rises and fraud: The BBC visits a city built on scams
Shwe Kokko in Myanmar is notorious for scams and human trafficking, despite claims of being a luxury destination. Its reputation harms Thai tourism, prompting stricter regulations and deterring legitimate businesses.
Read original article
Shwe Kokko, a city in Myanmar's Karen State, has emerged as a controversial hub characterized by scams, fraud, and human trafficking. Initially a barren area, it has transformed into a city with high-rises and casinos, largely funded by She Zhijiang, a Chinese entrepreneur currently imprisoned in Bangkok. Despite Yatai, the company behind Shwe Kokko, promoting it as a luxury destination for tourists, reports indicate that the city is still rife with scam operations. These scams, which have evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry, involve thousands of workers from various regions, some of whom are coerced into participating. The local military and rebel groups control the area, complicating the situation further. Access to Shwe Kokko is heavily restricted, and while Yatai claims to have eliminated scam operations, testimonies from former workers suggest otherwise. The city’s reputation is damaging tourism in neighboring Thailand, prompting the Thai government to tighten regulations. She Zhijiang's ambitions have drawn scrutiny from both the Chinese government and international authorities, leading to his arrest and subsequent claims of being a victim of political maneuvering. Experts believe that Shwe Kokko's economy is unlikely to shift away from scams, as legitimate businesses are deterred by its notorious reputation.
- Shwe Kokko is a city in Myanmar known for scams and human trafficking.
- She Zhijiang, the city's developer, is currently imprisoned in Bangkok.
- Despite claims of eliminating scams, reports indicate they continue to thrive in the city.
- The city's reputation is harming tourism in Thailand, leading to stricter regulations.
- Experts doubt the potential for legitimate businesses to thrive in Shwe Kokko.
Related
Money-Laundering Practices in the Online Scam Industry
The article details money-laundering practices in Cambodia's online scam industry, highlighting 'gateways' facilitating transactions, the use of cryptocurrency, and brokers acting as intermediaries in a complex cyber-scam ecosystem.
The Pig Butchering Invasion Has Begun
Pig butchering scams have spread globally from Southeast Asia, involving over 200,000 victims and causing nearly $4 billion in losses in 2023, with Dubai emerging as a major operational hub.
Cambodian company strips protected areas of timber for export
Angkor Plywood is implicated in illegal logging within Cambodia's protected areas, exporting rare timber to Vietnam and China, while facing accusations of collusion and bribery, despite government denials of large-scale operations.
China's Police Are Preying on Small Firms in Search of Cash
Chinese police are targeting small businesses for fines due to budget shortfalls, employing aggressive tactics like account freezes, leading to distrust among entrepreneurs despite government assurances of support.
Thailand cuts power and internet to areas of Myanmar to disrupt scam gangs
The Thai government has cut power and internet to five towns near Myanmar to combat scam operations exploiting coerced workers, citing national security and tourism concerns amid human trafficking reports.
15 commentsThey advertise recruitment ads of 8000$ a month for working in IT so many youth went there , and forced to end up as sex slaves , scammers , sex cammers . Who refuse to work and try run away are organ harvested or trafficked to china. They are very dark crime gang not limited to - Human Trafficking. - Organ Harvesting. - Dark Web activities. - Drug and Women abuses.
The BGF Militia of Saw Chit Thu is working with scammers they have arm forces of 8000 handing that.
In April 2023, Joint Revolution forces led by KTLA Lion Battalion : Saw Eh Say Wah launched an offensive against the Kayin State BGF in Shwe Kokko l . They almost captured Shwe KoKo and BGF (Saw Chit Thu) ran away to Thailand. But during the fight one sact of KNU (biggest rebel forces in Karen area who suppose to be helping KTLA ,but leaders also owns shares in Shwe KoKo ) betrayed KTLA forces and backstabbed Saw Eh Say Wah and KTLA Revolution forces. He barely escaped and estimated 200 of KTLA perished.
Now China is pushing Thailand to shut down Shwe KoKo and elecriticy is now cut off. They are moving operartion more inside of Myanmar.
The Philippines (under Duterte) said to Chinese criminals: Feel free to base your operations here and rip off your fellow Chinese, but don't rip off us Filipinos.
Then these POGO centres started scamming locals and Chinese alike, and staffed themselves with scam victims, using blackmail and torture to force them to work there and commit fraud.
Then one victim escaped:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-68562643
And then the whole world unraveled for local town mayor and Chinese spy, Alice Guo (that's not even her real name)
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/04/asia/philippines-alice-gu...
After China banned using of death row organs around 2014, the world's largest organ black market has moved to southeast Asia. There are estimated more than 100k victims (mostly Chinese) annually. Some of them may be released, if their families can afford the ransom. The remaining victims are treated like livestock. They are forced into doing scams to lure more people. Their blood is drawn monthly or even weekly for sales. They'll be tortured to death, if they try to run away. And finally, their organs will be harvested and sold, which most likely will also be the end of their lives.
United States once proposed to classify these organizations as terrorist organizations at UN but was denied by China.
I was at Sihanoukville (Cambodia) around 5 years ago and was surprised to find what was seemingly a Chinese city. There was a lot of dust, construction, and the city seemed like it was being raised out of the ground really quickly. Massive Chinese casinos and hotels were around and locals reported some casinos didn't even let them in. There were some whispers about shady stuff too.
I suppose if I were to go there today I'd find there are no more dirt roads and that the city is "fully built" given the rate at which these things happen. Would be cool to see.
>7 Months Inside an Online Scam Labor Camp
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/12/17/world/asia/my...
Twitter/X thread: https://x.com/QianIsabelle/status/1736391727387177267
[1]: https://www.wired.com/story/usaid-collapse-is-helping-crimin...
Just pointing this out so we don't think this doesn't exist here.
(I'm kind of surprised none of those crypto-libertarian groups have tried Myanmar, actually; it is, at least at the moment, particularly vulnerable to this sort of thing.)
Related
Money-Laundering Practices in the Online Scam Industry
The article details money-laundering practices in Cambodia's online scam industry, highlighting 'gateways' facilitating transactions, the use of cryptocurrency, and brokers acting as intermediaries in a complex cyber-scam ecosystem.
The Pig Butchering Invasion Has Begun
Pig butchering scams have spread globally from Southeast Asia, involving over 200,000 victims and causing nearly $4 billion in losses in 2023, with Dubai emerging as a major operational hub.
Cambodian company strips protected areas of timber for export
Angkor Plywood is implicated in illegal logging within Cambodia's protected areas, exporting rare timber to Vietnam and China, while facing accusations of collusion and bribery, despite government denials of large-scale operations.
China's Police Are Preying on Small Firms in Search of Cash
Chinese police are targeting small businesses for fines due to budget shortfalls, employing aggressive tactics like account freezes, leading to distrust among entrepreneurs despite government assurances of support.
Thailand cuts power and internet to areas of Myanmar to disrupt scam gangs
The Thai government has cut power and internet to five towns near Myanmar to combat scam operations exploiting coerced workers, citing national security and tourism concerns amid human trafficking reports.