Also in August Laos authorities issued an ultimatum to Golden Triangle Scam Operators to vacate the Special Economic Zone, as The Diplomat reports. According to Radio Free Asia the issue was discussed at an August 9 meeting between the governor of Bokeo province, high-ranking officials from the Lao Ministry of Public Security, and Zhao Wei, the chairman of the GTSEZ. Under the eyes of Zhao Weis security the fraud acitivites at the Special Economic Zone had been developped. The order to evacuate came a week after Lao authorities raided several call centers in the Golden Triangle SEZ, detaining and deporting 154 Vietnamese and 29 Chinese for their alleged involvement in the scams.
In late 2022, the South China Morning Post had reported that the GTSEZ contained “a number of prison-like call centers for online scams.” According to RFA a Lao official now said that “as many as 400 call centers were operating in the Golden Triangle SEZ, up from 305 a year earlier.” The scam centers have mostly targeted Chinese people, what led authorities in China to pressure their counterparts in Laos to act against these acitvitities. And according to Chinese officials the problem is even bigger: Police in Zhejiang investigated online fraud cases and traced perpetrators to GTSEZ. "In investigating Hongyu, police found numerous other fraud parks in the area, identifying 40,000+ ppl engaged in fraud in the area involving 1,029 companies", CyberScamMonitor reported on X.
The two years since the revelations in Soth China Morning post have brought many reports about foreign nationals being rescued from the GTSEZ after being trafficked there on false promises of legitimate work, and about raids with participation of Chiense officials. In November 2023, Lao authorities arrested more than 430 Chinese nationals who appeared to be involved in fraudulent call center operations in the SEZ, and handed them over to their Chinese counterparts for deportation. In January, Laos repatriated 268 Chinese citizens suspected of scamming while living or working at the SEZ.
When the deadline this august hat passed, Lao authorities raided more Golden Triangle scam centers, as RFA reports, arresting 60 Lao and Chinese nationals
LAOS: Authorities raid more scam operations in Golden Triangle SEZ, arresting 60 Lao & Chinese nationals one day after government-imposed deadline for illegal call centers to close. 250 police officers & officials participated in raids on 16 locations. https://t.co/kT7NC4yb0p
— CyberScamMonitor (@CyberScamWatch) August 30, 2024
How a Vietnamese man escaped from a Scam gang operating in a highrise building in GTSEZ.
What happens now at the Golden Triangle Special Econmic Zone? The owner of a guesthouse said to RFA: “The SEZ will be empty – the hotels, guesthouses and restaurants will have no customers.” Zhao Weis Kings Romans Casino remained open. But nearby buildings appeares to be empty, according to a Lao worker. “It looks very quiet these days, since the beginning of the operation,” he said. “The police force has checked all the buildings.”
And where did the online fraudsters go? Some fled to Chiang Rai, a Thai border security source said according to Bangkok Post. Many online scam gangs also moved their base to Myanmar and Cambodia, the source added. And Jason Tower, Myanmar Country Director at United States Institute of Peace, states on X, that the criminal kingpins were tipped off in advance, many moving to Myawaddy in Myanmar.
Read also:
Inside Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone: A Chinese Zone in Laos, where Americans are not allowed in
Will the Chinese Scam Networks relocate their Operations from Myanmar to Laos?
Macao at Mekong: How Chinese money flows into the Golden Triangle
