Myanmar hands over 307 fraud suspects

Law enforcement authorities in Myanmar recently handed over 307 Chinese people allegedly involved in cross-border telecom fraud to Chinese police, the Ministry of Public Security announced on Wednesday.

The ministry said that public security organs in Yunnan province had collaborated with law enforcement agencies in Myanmar to capture the suspects.

Myanmar authorities also seized a large number of mobile phones, computers and other tools used in the alleged crimes.

Investigations revealed that the suspects had been operating in the Wa State region of northern Myanmar, establishing a virtual currency network investment platform that they used to deceive victims, the ministry said.

All the suspects and related evidence were handed over to Chinese authorities at the Menglian Port in Menglian county, Yunnan. Police at various public security bureaus in Yunnan simultaneously captured nine domestic accomplices in the case, and investigations are proceeding.

The ministry said it has worked to deepen its international law enforcement cooperation with Myanmar in the past year and has jointly carried out a series of crackdowns that have resulted in over 50,000 Chinese fraud suspects being handed over to China.

A ministry official said that although the telecom fraud problem in northern Myanmar has been effectively curbed, some criminals are still resisting crackdowns.

The ministry pledged to further strengthen international law enforcement cooperation, intensify efforts to eliminate fraud dens and apprehend those suspected of fraud.