Myanmar junta says it seized 30 Starlink receivers in scam center raid

[ad_1] Myanmar’s junta stated on Monday it raided one of many nation’s most infamous cyberscam facilities and seized Starlink satellite tv for pc web gadgets.

Myanmar authorities media The International New Gentle of Myanmar stated the army “carried out operations in KK Park close to Myanmar-Thai border” and had “seized 30 units of Starlink receivers and equipment,” in accordance with the AFP information company.

AFP stated that quantity is just a fraction of the Starlink gadgets they recognized utilizing satellite tv for pc imagery and drone images. On the roof of 1 constructing alone in KK Park, photographs confirmed almost 80 of the web dishes.

<img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="This Sept. 17, 2025, photo shows what appears to be Starlink satellite dishes on the roof in the KK Park complex in Myanmar's eastern Myawaddy township, as pictured from Mae Sot district in Thailand's border province of Tak." class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/LVKA6I3WOZACDEJA4FJ2PBWH4Q.JPG?auth=b657a6850c51cc27e79953d892b0d6ad1d7c6e305f26037f765bcdd3bb447d4d&width=800&height=1000" srcset="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/LVKA6I3WOZACDEJA4FJ2PBWH4Q.JPG?auth=b657a6850c51cc27e79953d892b0d6ad1d7c6e305f26037f765bcdd3bb447d4d&width=274&height=342 274w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/LVKA6I3WOZACDEJA4FJ2PBWH4Q.JPG?auth=b657a6850c51cc27e79953d892b0d6ad1d7c6e305f26037f765bcdd3bb447d4d&width=400&height=500 400w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/LVKA6I3WOZACDEJA4FJ2PBWH4Q.JPG?auth=b657a6850c51cc27e79953d892b0d6ad1d7c6e305f26037f765bcdd3bb447d4d&width=768&height=960 768w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/LVKA6I3WOZACDEJA4FJ2PBWH4Q.JPG?auth=b657a6850c51cc27e79953d892b0d6ad1d7c6e305f26037f765bcdd3bb447d4d&width=1024&height=1280 1024w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/LVKA6I3WOZACDEJA4FJ2PBWH4Q.JPG?auth=b657a6850c51cc27e79953d892b0d6ad1d7c6e305f26037f765bcdd3bb447d4d&width=1440&height=1800 1440w" width="800" height="1000"/> myanmar-starlink-scam-center-kk-park This Sept. 17, 2025, photograph reveals what seems to be Starlink satellite tv for pc dishes on the roof within the KK Park complicated in Myanmar's jap Myawaddy township, as pictured from Mae Sot district in Thailand's border province of Tak. (Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP) The International New Gentle of Myanmar additionally stated junta troops had occupied round 200 buildings and located almost 2,200 employees on the website, whereas 15 “Chinese language scammers” had been arrested for involvement in “on-line playing, on-line fraud and different legal actions” round KK Park.

A crackdown by Thai, Chinese language and Myanmar authorities beginning in February noticed 1000's of suspected scammers repatriated, with consultants saying some within the rip-off business take part willingly whereas others are pressured to by organized legal teams.

<img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="This Sept. 17, 2025, photo shows what appears to be Starlink satellite dishes on the roof in the KK Park complex in Myanmar's eastern Myawaddy township, as pictured from Mae Sot district in Thailand's border province of Tak." class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/JIVWZNI3FVCGJKEJ7YASWPFUCM.JPG?auth=97af4632ae72326348c49e3c4d2870f1fad64cc39da73fd263b43d5e74ef0815&width=800&height=1000" srcset="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/JIVWZNI3FVCGJKEJ7YASWPFUCM.JPG?auth=97af4632ae72326348c49e3c4d2870f1fad64cc39da73fd263b43d5e74ef0815&width=274&height=342 274w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/JIVWZNI3FVCGJKEJ7YASWPFUCM.JPG?auth=97af4632ae72326348c49e3c4d2870f1fad64cc39da73fd263b43d5e74ef0815&width=400&height=500 400w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/JIVWZNI3FVCGJKEJ7YASWPFUCM.JPG?auth=97af4632ae72326348c49e3c4d2870f1fad64cc39da73fd263b43d5e74ef0815&width=768&height=960 768w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/JIVWZNI3FVCGJKEJ7YASWPFUCM.JPG?auth=97af4632ae72326348c49e3c4d2870f1fad64cc39da73fd263b43d5e74ef0815&width=1024&height=1280 1024w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/JIVWZNI3FVCGJKEJ7YASWPFUCM.JPG?auth=97af4632ae72326348c49e3c4d2870f1fad64cc39da73fd263b43d5e74ef0815&width=1440&height=1800 1440w" width="800" height="1000"/> myanmar-starlink-scam-center-kk-park This Sept. 17, 2025, photograph reveals what seems to be Starlink satellite tv for pc dishes on the roof within the KK Park complicated in Myanmar's jap Myawaddy township, as pictured from Mae Sot district in Thailand's border province of Tak. (Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP) The U.S. Congress’ Joint Financial Committee informed the AFP information company they've begun an investigation into Starlink’s involvement with the facilities. Whereas it could possibly name proprietor Elon Musk to a listening to, it can't compel him to testify.

Starlink father or mother firm SpaceX didn't instantly reply to a request for touch upon Monday.

<img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="This Sept. 17, 2025, photo shows what appears to be Starlink satellite dishes on the roof in the KK Park complex in Myanmar's eastern Myawaddy township, as pictured from Mae Sot district in Thailand's border province of Tak." class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/6KO5MLNK7VHPNP5XCSNSKQ6T3Q.JPG?auth=265baa8409bf0293ea1d603692988d4afc124f3bc8d6e3d5555618fd0e28cd46&width=800&height=1000" srcset="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/6KO5MLNK7VHPNP5XCSNSKQ6T3Q.JPG?auth=265baa8409bf0293ea1d603692988d4afc124f3bc8d6e3d5555618fd0e28cd46&width=274&height=342 274w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/6KO5MLNK7VHPNP5XCSNSKQ6T3Q.JPG?auth=265baa8409bf0293ea1d603692988d4afc124f3bc8d6e3d5555618fd0e28cd46&width=400&height=500 400w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/6KO5MLNK7VHPNP5XCSNSKQ6T3Q.JPG?auth=265baa8409bf0293ea1d603692988d4afc124f3bc8d6e3d5555618fd0e28cd46&width=768&height=960 768w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/6KO5MLNK7VHPNP5XCSNSKQ6T3Q.JPG?auth=265baa8409bf0293ea1d603692988d4afc124f3bc8d6e3d5555618fd0e28cd46&width=1024&height=1280 1024w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/6KO5MLNK7VHPNP5XCSNSKQ6T3Q.JPG?auth=265baa8409bf0293ea1d603692988d4afc124f3bc8d6e3d5555618fd0e28cd46&width=1440&height=1800 1440w" width="800" height="1000"/> myanmar-starlink-scam-center-kk-park This Sept. 17, 2025, photograph reveals what seems to be Starlink satellite tv for pc dishes on the roof within the KK Park complicated in Myanmar's jap Myawaddy township, as pictured from Mae Sot district in Thailand's border province of Tak. (Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP) On-line scamming facilities have proliferated throughout Southeast Asia in recent times, particularly in a few of the extra lawless elements of Myanmar, in addition to in neighboring Laos and Cambodia.

The facilities are sometimes run by Chinese language gangs and are infamous for luring unsuspecting individuals into jobs that entail logging on to contact and defraud individuals, many in China.

Chinese language authorities are eager to get the rackets based mostly over the border in Myanmar shut down, and so motion in opposition to them has grow to be a key issue for rival factions in Myanmar, from the junta to its rebel enemies and different militias, as they vie for China’s favor.

<img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="In this Feb. 20, 2025, image released by the Chinese government, a group of 200 Chinese citizens suspected of involvement in scam centers are returned to China under the escort of Chinese police after being repatriated from Myawaddy in Myanmar." class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/OKVGKTPFMNFWRNA7ASGR4HBOBM.jpg?auth=51f5d1ec07ecd83d320aa1fc81d0c3bac85e293732f3f9050d5761b3dfd17963&width=800&height=533" srcset="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/OKVGKTPFMNFWRNA7ASGR4HBOBM.jpg?auth=51f5d1ec07ecd83d320aa1fc81d0c3bac85e293732f3f9050d5761b3dfd17963&width=274&height=182 274w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/OKVGKTPFMNFWRNA7ASGR4HBOBM.jpg?auth=51f5d1ec07ecd83d320aa1fc81d0c3bac85e293732f3f9050d5761b3dfd17963&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/OKVGKTPFMNFWRNA7ASGR4HBOBM.jpg?auth=51f5d1ec07ecd83d320aa1fc81d0c3bac85e293732f3f9050d5761b3dfd17963&width=768&height=511 768w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/OKVGKTPFMNFWRNA7ASGR4HBOBM.jpg?auth=51f5d1ec07ecd83d320aa1fc81d0c3bac85e293732f3f9050d5761b3dfd17963&width=1024&height=682 1024w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/OKVGKTPFMNFWRNA7ASGR4HBOBM.jpg?auth=51f5d1ec07ecd83d320aa1fc81d0c3bac85e293732f3f9050d5761b3dfd17963&width=1440&height=959 1440w" width="800" height="533"/> myanmar-scam-center On this Feb. 20, 2025, picture launched by the Chinese language authorities, a gaggle of 200 Chinese language residents suspected of involvement in rip-off facilities are returned to Nanjing, China beneath the escort of Chinese language police after being repatriated from Myawaddy in Myanmar. (Yin Gang, Xinhua through Getty Photos) With reporting by AFP.