What’s new: Law enforcement in Myanmar handed over 10 major telecom fraud suspect to China this week, including six ring leaders wanted by Beijing, China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) announced.
The suspects were transferred on Tuesday to Yunnan, a southwestern province that borders Myanmar, as part of “strengthened international police cooperation” between the two countries, the MPS said in a statement.
The suspects included Bai Suocheng, former chairman of the Kokang self-administered zone in northern Myanmar, and leaders of three other telecom fraud syndicates operating from the region, which in recent years has become a hotbed of cybercrime activity targeting Chinese citizens.
The background: In December, Chinese authorities put out wanted notices for 10 ring leaders of telecom fraud scams in Kokang. As of Tuesday, six had been returned to China, while the remaining four were still at large, the MPS said.
In August, law enforcement authorities in China, Thailand, Myanmar and Laos launched a joint campaign to crack down on illegal gambling and fraud perpetrated by organized crime in regions along their borders.
Myanmar has handed over to China some 44,000 people suspected of participating in telecom scams targeting Chinese nationals, according to the MPS statement.
Contact reporter Kelly Wang (jingzhewang@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)
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