Senior officials outline cross-border cooperation, border security concerns and enforcement actions following Minletpan incident
Myanmar authorities have provided a detailed account of the country’s ongoing efforts to dismantle online fraud and illegal online gambling networks, following a press briefing held this week in Yangon. Senior representatives from the State Administrative Council (SAC) and the Myanmar Police Force addressed domestic and international media, responding to public concerns and questions surrounding recent enforcement actions and border security developments.
The briefing was prompted in part by heightened scrutiny following the Minletpan incident, which officials said has been widely mischaracterised. Speaking at the conference, Major General Zaw Min Tun, spokesperson for the SAC’s Information Team, alleged that the incident was orchestrated by elements of the Karen National Union (KNU) as an attempt to distance the organisation from previous involvement in online fraud activities. He claimed that the reported seizure of the KKO network was staged to divert attention from the Government’s broader and sustained crackdown on transnational criminal operations.
Major General Zaw Min Tun also confirmed that investigations were under way into reports that foreign nationals may have died during the incident, stressing that authorities were treating the matter seriously and gathering verified information before drawing conclusions.
During the briefing, officials acknowledged ongoing tensions along the Myanmar–Thailand border. Major General Zaw Min Tun said that while some shelling incidents reported by Thailand could not be fully denied, there was evidence suggesting that certain KNU elements deliberately fired into Thai territory in an effort to create diplomatic misunderstandings between the two countries. He emphasised that established bilateral border mechanisms remain in place and are functioning at township, district and regional levels to manage such incidents.
Journalists questioned officials about cooperation with armed groups in Kayin State and the extent of involvement by ethnic armed organisations in online fraud and gambling operations. In response, Major General Zaw Min Tun stated that not all organisations or members were complicit, noting the need to distinguish between compliant groups and “bad elements” engaged in criminal activity. He reiterated the Government’s position that online fraud and gambling offences would be eradicated wherever they occur.
Myanmar Police Force representatives provided further operational details. Police Brigadier General Kyaw Lin disclosed that 107 online gambling cases had been investigated during 2025 alone. He added that between 2023 and 2025, authorities had blocked more than 2,000 social media accounts associated with online gambling and disabled over 2,300 SIM cards linked to illegal activity.
Officials also confirmed continued trilateral cooperation with Thailand and China as part of cross-border enforcement efforts. Police Lieutenant General Win Zaw Moe said coordinated operations were under way in border regions to dismantle criminal networks and confirmed that legal action had been initiated against the KNU under the Anti-Terrorism Law and the Unlawful Associations Act. He further noted that Myanmar would continue to cooperate with regional and international bodies, including ASEANAPOL and Interpol, to address transnational crime.
Authorities concluded the briefing by reaffirming a zero-tolerance approach to online fraud and illegal gambling, emphasising that sustained international cooperation remains essential to tackling the problem effectively.
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