Crackdown on telecom fraud bearing fruit

A suspect is escorted by Chinese police after being transferred by Myanmar authorities during a recent crackdown on telecom fraud networks in northern Myanmar. PROVIDED BY THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY

Following successful law enforcement cooperation between the authorities of China and Myanmar, a total of 31,000 telecom fraud suspects have been handed over to China this year to date, the Ministry of Public Security announced on Tuesday.

Among the suspects, 63 were identified as masterminds, organizers and key figures operating behind the scenes, and 1,531 were on wanted lists.

According to the ministry, the suspects have been sent to jurisdictions affected by their scams, where local public security organs will thoroughly investigate their alleged illegal activities and punish them resolutely.

Since September, under the command of the ministry and the Yunnan Provincial Public Security Department, public security organs in the Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, the cities of Pu'er and Lincang, and other areas in Yunnan province have collaborated with law enforcement agencies in Myanmar to conduct joint law enforcement operations along the border.

In an effort to intensify the crackdown, Chinese public security organs deepened law enforcement cooperation with Myanmar this month, resulting in the eradication of numerous overseas telecom fraud dens, the ministry said in a statement.

Warrants were also issued for the alleged leaders of telecom fraud groups. On Nov 12, the Public Security Bureau of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, issued wanted orders for four suspected key leaders of a telecom fraud criminal group operating in the Kokang Self-Administered Zone of northern Myanmar. Rewards ranging from 100,000 yuan ($14,000) to 500,000 yuan were offered for effective clues and assistance.

The four individuals include two males, identified as Ming Xuechang, 69, a former member of Myanmar's Shan State parliament and former member of the Kokang Self-Administered Zone's leadership committee, and Ming Guoping, 42, a militia squadron leader in the Kokang region of Myanmar's Shan State, and two females, Ming Julan, 42, a native of Lincang's Zhenkang county, and Ming Zhenzhen, 27, a native of Lincang's Gengma Dai and Va autonomous county.

The group's ringleader, Ming Xuechang, committed suicide before Myanmar police could arrest him on Nov 15. The other three were arrested the following day.

Public security organs in Yunnan's Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture also achieved a significant breakthrough in border law enforcement cooperation on Saturday as law enforcement agencies in the Muse area of northern Myanmar transferred 571 telecom fraud suspects to China, the statement said.

It also said that the ministry would maintain high-pressure crackdowns on telecom fraud groups in northern Myanmar and continue to deepen border law enforcement cooperation with Myanmar.

Chinese public security authorities will continue the special crackdown operations to eliminate fraud dens and apprehend individuals involved in fraud, resolutely safeguarding the safety and legitimate rights and interests of the people and border security, according to the statement.

Myanmar's Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs told China Daily that the law enforcement cooperation mechanism between the two countries has been well-established.

According to the Myanmar authorities, in late October, Myanmar held the seventh ministerial-level meeting on law enforcement and security cooperation with China. The two sides further discussed the crackdown on transnational crimes such as human trafficking, telecom fraud and cross-border gambling.

In August, public security departments from Myanmar, China, Thailand and Laos held a meeting targeting gambling, fraud and associated crimes in the region.

Under the framework of the four countries' joint crackdown, a team formed by Shan State, the Kokang Self-Administered Zone's administration organization, Myanmar's armed forces and Myanmar police have captured numerous suspects, the Myanmar authorities said.