Executive Summary
- Myanmar’s military government has demolished parts of the KK Park cyberscam compound, but operations have shifted to other locations.
- Satellite imagery indicates that most buildings at KK Park remain intact despite the declared crackdown.
- Scam centers continue to utilize Starlink internet terminals despite a service ban by SpaceX.
- Thousands of workers, many victims of trafficking, have been relocated to compounds in Myanmar or Cambodia.
Myanmar’s military leadership has declared a “zero tolerance” policy for cyberscams and commenced demolition at the infamous KK Park compound, yet investigations indicate the crackdown has merely displaced the industrial-scale fraud operations to other locations rather than dismantling them. According to the Associated Press, despite highly publicized raids and the reported destruction of buildings, scam centers along the Thai border continue to operate with impunity.
Satellite imagery analysis by the Center for Information Resilience (CIR) revealed that while 31 structures were flattened at KK Park, the majority of the compound remained intact as of early December. Guy Fusfus, an investigator at Myanmar Witness, told the AP that heavy machinery damaged many buildings without destroying them completely, suggesting an intention to potentially reconstruct and reuse the facilities in the future. The physical damage, however, has forced a migration of the workforce.
Witnesses and former workers report that criminal syndicates are adapting rapidly to the pressure. The Associated Press found that operations have relocated to nearby sites such as the Apollo compound and Hengsheng Park 4, or moved across borders to Cambodia. One Filipino worker recounted to reporters that his Chinese boss arranged for the relocation of the operation, while others described transferring equipment to nearby compounds to minimize downtime. Recruitment advertisements on Telegram have already begun targeting displaced workers for positions in these new locations.
Technical measures to disrupt the industry have also faced challenges. Although SpaceX announced it had cut off Starlink service to the region to prevent its use by scammers, AP investigators identified at least two compounds where the satellite internet terminals remained active. This connectivity is crucial for the “pig butchering” investment scams that target victims globally, including in the United States.
Critics argue the enforcement actions are superficial. Jay Kritiya, coordinator of the Civil Society Network for Human Trafficking Victim Assistance, stated that destroying buildings without arresting the transnational syndicate leaders constitutes an incomplete crackdown. Analysts from C4ADS noted that the industry continues to grow, with new construction observed in 14 of 21 known compounds in Myawaddy Township since January. The involvement of the Karen Border Guard Force, a militia affiliated with the Myanmar military, further complicates enforcement efforts.
Transnational Crime Enforcement Analysis
The persistence of these scam centers underscores the resilience of transnational criminal networks when they operate within the jurisdiction of compromised or unstable governance structures. The shift of operations from KK Park to other venues illustrates the “balloon effect” common in illicit industries, where suppression in one area leads to immediate displacement elsewhere. Effective eradication likely requires coordinated international financial interdiction and the prosecution of high-level organizers rather than localized physical demolition. It is important to note that while criminal organizations are the subject of these reports, all specific individuals accused of crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
