Sri Lankans Trapped in Myanmar's Scam Hell: The Dark Truth of Slave Camps

 

More than 250 people from 20 different countries, including a Sri Lankan, were rescued from cyber scam centres in Myanmar’s Karen State and brought to Thailand. These scam operations have become a major crime industry, targeting foreigners and forcing them into online fraud.

The Growing Cybercrime Industry in Myanmar

Myanmar has gained a notorious reputation as a hub for cybercrime, especially in areas like Myawaddy and Karen State. Criminal networks operate scam centres where people are lured with promises of high-paying jobs, only to be forced into illegal activities such as online scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and money laundering. Many of these workers are held against their will, suffering abuse and even torture.

Recent reports reveal that more than 56 Sri Lankans are still trapped in such compounds, unable to escape unless ransoms are paid. These centres are controlled by powerful ethnic armed groups like the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and the Karen National Army, who profit from protecting these illegal operations.