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After the Myanmar army He raided the notorious military junta Scam complex and Destroyed buildings With explosives in October, officials claimed the country would completely “Eliminate“Forced fraud within its borders. Now newly released satellite images of the targeted fraud center KK Park reveal that only buildings in one limited section of the complex were destroyed during the initial raids. Meanwhile, experts on the fraud complexes say the whole effort is likely ‘propaganda.’
High-resolution images of the KK Park scam complex, located near the Myanmar-Thailand border, show how military forces leveled several buildings, leaving piles of rubble in their place. However, images show that the destruction, so far, is limited only to the eastern side of the giant complex, with hundreds of buildings throughout the massive complex left untouched.
Several experts told WIRED that the raids on KK Park and some other fraud complexes were likely part of a broader “performative” effort by Myanmar’s military government, which has come under increasing pressure to tackle highly profitable fraud vehicles that have flourished in recent years. It also raises concerns for the welfare of thousands of people forced into KK Park scams.
“The junta is making it look like they are demolishing the entire complex, and the images we have seen so far are limited to just one section,” says Eric Heintz, a global analyst at the International Justice Mission, an anti-slavery organization. “It’s important to keep monitoring this to check what they’re actually doing and (to see) whether this is just for show or whether they’re actually cracking down on the real problem.”
Satellite images, taken on November 16, appear to show that some buildings around the courtyards have been almost completely destroyed, with debris scattered around other buildings. Heintz says the photos, as well as additional footage on social media, indicate that some of the “villas” and dormitories that may have housed trafficking victims appear to have been damaged or destroyed. (Myanmar’s military government said further destruction began on November 17; third-party reports also indicate that More buildings was destroyed).
“All the important buildings you would need to commit fraud are still intact and ready to use,” says Michelle B. Moore, CEO of the Thailand-based anti-human trafficking nonprofit Global Alms Incorporated, which works to help people trafficked into fraud complexes in Myanmar. “They’re putting on a good show now to say they don’t support scam complexes or human trafficking,” Moore says. “But what they’ve done is let all the scam rings — all the scam bosses and moderators — get away.”
Over the past decade, dozens of Scam vehicles have appeared In Southeast Asia, primarily through Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. These complexes are often operated by or linked to Chinese organized crime groups, who trick people into working in them – often with the offer of high-paying jobs – and then force them to run their businesses. A bunch of scams. Victims of human trafficking often have their passports confiscated; They can be tortured or beaten if they refuse to be defrauded. By stealing from people all over the world, Vehicles made billions to organized crime groups.
Amid widespread criminality, KK Park has emerged as one of the largest and most notorious fraud complexes in Myanmar. Five years ago, site A Field series near the town of Myawaddy, but it has since turned into a sprawling complex with hundreds of buildings and thousands of people detained there.