The United States has taken strong action to stop dangerous crimes coming out of Southeast Asia. On Monday, the US government placed sanctions on a powerful Myanmar warlord, Saw Chit Thu, his two sons, and the militia he leads. According to the US Treasury, Saw Chit Thu is a key player behind massive cyber scams that have tricked people around the world, including many Americans.
These sanctions freeze any money or property Saw Chit Thu, his sons — Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit — and their group might have in the US. They also stop any American citizen or company from doing business with them. Officials say this is a big move to make it harder for these criminals to continue their illegal activities.
The US Treasury said that these scam operations are not only stealing billions of dollars but also hurting people emotionally and physically. Victims are lured into fake online deals and tricked into handing over their hard-earned savings. Michael Faulkender, a top official at the Treasury, said that these scams take away people’s security and peace of mind.
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This latest action by the US follows similar steps taken by Britain and the European Union, who have already imposed sanctions on Saw Chit Thu. With this new round of punishment, pressure is building against this dangerous network.
Secret Camps at the Border
At the center of this operation is the Karen National Army (KNA), led by Saw Chit Thu. They are based in a place called Shwe Kokko, along the border between Myanmar and Thailand. This area is called a “Special Economic Zone,” but US officials say it’s actually where many of the crimes take place.
The KNA rents out land and provides protection for compounds where people are trapped and forced to work. These people come from various countries, tricked by promises of good jobs. But once they arrive, they are forced into working long hours running online scams. Many are smuggled across borders and kept in terrible conditions with no way to escape.
The United Nations has reported that hundreds of thousands of people have been caught in these kinds of scams in Southeast Asia in recent years. The camps at Shwe Kokko have become a symbol of this growing crisis. Victims are not only robbed but also lose their freedom and safety.
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Ties to Myanmar’s Military Leaders
Adding to the seriousness of the case are Saw Chit Thu’s strong ties to Myanmar’s military rulers. In 2022, the head of Myanmar’s military, General Min Aung Hlaing, gave Saw Chit Thu an honorary title for “outstanding performance.” This shows that the warlord has powerful friends in high places, which has helped him grow his criminal empire.
Myanmar itself has been facing deep political trouble since 2021, when the military took control of the country, sparking a violent civil war. Since then, the US has put many rounds of sanctions on the military government and its sources of income to cut off funding for violence and crime.
The sanctions announced on Monday are the first targeting Myanmar since the start of the current US presidential term. Alongside this, US financial crime officials are also moving to block a Cambodian company called the Huione Group, which is accused of helping move and clean the money made from these scams.
With this action, the US is signaling that it is serious about going after the leaders and networks behind global cybercrime. By targeting Saw Chit Thu, his family, and his militia, officials hope to weaken the web of crime that has caused suffering for so many people.
