NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar - The junta-allied Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) in Myawaddy Township, Karen State, said it is hunting down illegal scam centers near the Thai border.

It claimed it was combating human trafficking, fraudulent activity, torture, child labor, drug smuggling, and online frauds while also handing 61 victims of trafficking from seven nations to Thai authorities on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Thailand suspended power, internet, and fuel supplies to five districts, including BGF-controlled territory, citing a threat to Thai national security from call center scammers.

Thai authorities are targeting the border villages of Myawaddy and Payathonzu (Three Pagodas Pass) in Karen State, as well as Tachileik in Shan State, where scam operations have grown since the coup in 2021.

BGF head Col. Saw Chit Thu oversees the Shwe Kokko "new city" project in collaboration with Yatai International, owned by She Zhijiang, a Chinese national with Cambodian citizenship who is wanted by China.

In May 2024, the Justice for Myanmar activist organization exposed the BGF's involvement in online scams, illegal casinos, and online gambling in Karen State.

Saw Chit Thu committed to battle crime in January, under pressure from China and Thailand, and declared a crackdown on scam operations during a meeting with Chinese entrepreneurs in Myawaddy last month after the border town made headlines for trafficking a Chinese celebrity.

The BGF denied involvement in fraud activities, claiming it "only leased land to businesses" and "never engaged in profit-sharing ventures."

The junta-allied militia repeated on Thursday that its overseas investment projects, including homes, hotels, and resorts, were approved by Myanmar's State Investment Commission in 2018 to enhance regional development.

The militia stated that it has collaborated with the authorities and international NGOs to help victims of trafficking. "Since 2023, we have helped repatriate over 2,000 victims."

It further claimed that certain businesses subleasing from investors in the projects were involved in fraud and human trafficking.

Following Thailand's decision to cut fuel supplies, Myawaddy residents have frantically bought any leftover fuel.

 A Myawaddy resident told the press that the fuel blockage largely affects rural residents, while the fraud compounds will be unaffected.

"Cutting off electricity, internet, and fuel won't scare them much," she claimed, noting that the compounds have generators, solar panels, and Starlink internet service.

She said her brother, who works at Shwe Kokko, revealed that personnel were instructed to keep calm and continue operations.