Major Tin Win of the junta-allied Karen Border Guard Force (BFG) has been accused of helping Chinese triads set up industrial-scale cyber scam centers near the Thai border in Karen State’s Myawaddy Township.
In an exclusive interview with The Irrawaddy, the major (also known Saw Tin Win) denied the charges, saying all he knew about the alleged scam centers was that they used computers.
He also denied that human trafficking – the preferred recruitment model of scam centers – was rife in territory controlled by the BFG, saying that investigations by the BFG found not a single instance of forced labor.
A recent report by Justice for Myanmar accuses the BGF of building a network of criminal enterprises with partners from across Asia. It also calls on governments to impose tough sanctions on the BGF, its leaders, its businesses and the shareholders of those businesses.
Another report by the US Congress-funded United States Institute of Peace named BGF leader Colonel Saw Chit Thu, as well as Mote Thone and Major Tin Win, as the key individuals supporting triads in Karen State. The trio also controls the notorious KK Park project, a massive fraud factory where scam centers are reportedly increasingly targeting Americans, the report says.
At the beginning of May, the BGF warned foreign nationals doing online work in Myawaddy Township to leave by the end of October or face action.
In an interview that has been edited for length and clarity, Major Tin Win provides an update, but also denies any knowledge of criminal activity.
What is your response to reports accusing you and other BGF leaders of being involved in online scams, or zhapian, as it is commonly known in Chinese?
These are just accusations. We don’t even fully comprehend what zhapian is. There have been various reports about us. We have little knowledge about casino operations. Strictly speaking, we just leased the land and they rented it saying they would operate casinos. We did not know that they would operate scams. We only saw that they use computers. We didn’t know what they were doing.
The report claims that the BGF is involved in international and cross-border crime. Aren’t you concerned about possible international sanctions?
We are not worried about international sanctions. We only operate a small business. There are huge casinos in the Golden Triangle [the border of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand]. Media agencies and journalists know that. Even planes can land at those casinos. There are casinos in many countries, including in the US. We don’t care much [about possible sanctions]. Every country has casinos.
The BGF has warned foreigners involved in online business in Myawaddy Township to leave by October 31 or face punitive action. What has happened since the warning was issued?
We put the warning on billboards. We have told employers to send foreigners back gradually. They are going back. We recently transferred over 1,200 people to Chinese police via the No. 2 Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge [to Mae Sot, Thailand]. Those who arrived voluntarily are leaving Myawaddy by themselves. Workers have left every day since we issued the warning.
What punitive action will the BGF take against those who fail to comply?
We have yet to decide on this. We don’t understand the work they do on computers, which they call online games. We went to check their operations. We saw they were using computers. It appears that they can work anywhere with a computer even if they can’t work in Myawaddy. We don’t understand their operations.
What is your response to allegations that foreigners were forced to work in those operations?
I think that journalists do not have precise information about those operations. They probably received the wrong information. We don’t let employers do this. Thai, Malaysian and Vietnamese embassies have sent lists of names [of their citizens]. We looked for those individuals and handed them over to relevant embassies on many occasions.
If embassies have the names and passport info, we can easily find them. We have made checks, and there were no cases of forced labor.
We have allowed them to leave freely. We have told employers to let their employees leave freely. Workers leave every day.
Have foreigners entered Myawaddy illegally? Can the BGF know if they are forced to work?
Not everyone entered legally. Some entered illegally from Thailand, but there has never been a case of forced labor.
How many foreigners are left in area controlled by the BGF?
Over 10,000 remain, I think. Many have left. Illegal migrants are returning by themselves. Their employers may pay the cost. According to my understanding, there are transporters on both sides of Myanmar and Thai border.
What else do you want to say about the allegations made by international organizations?
People say many different things about us. I have no comment.
