Malaysia flies home 121 job scam victims stranded in Myanmar conflict zone

One of the operation’s stated aims was to close the scam compounds which have raked in billions of dollars from Myanmar’s remote frontier, much of it siphoned into the pockets of junta affiliates who until recent weeks had run the border zone with impunity.

As the bosses closed scam compounds, ran or relocated – driven from the border by a concurrent Chinese-led crackdown – Malaysians, Thais, Vietnamese and other nationalities were taken from across Shan State to Laukkaing to be evacuated via the China border.

But fighting has gripped the town for over a week, with regular rocket strikes rattling the surrounding area, adding urgency to the evacuation plans.

‘Help us’: torture, death and the battle to escape Myanmar’s scam mills

Malaysia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mohamad Alamin greeted the returnees at Kuala Lumpur International Airport and said the government was working out how to repatriate the remaining seven Malaysians still left in the conflict area.

“They could not be brought home for several reasons, but the government will keep abreast with the latest development and carry out further evacuations,” Mohamad told reporters.

Three of the Malaysians failed to appear at the meeting point at the stipulated time – one is still located over 1,000km away from the Chinese border – another was barred from entering China over past criminal record there and two had asked to remain in Myanmar, he said.

Mohamad added that the police will record the statements of some of the 121 individuals and initiate several other legal processes.

Chinese descent Malaysians are particularly coveted by the fraud complex bosses for their language skills and hundreds have been successfully lured many across the border – the majority tricked and trafficked into working in scam centres, although some willingly perpetrate lucrative scams, including romance cons and investment pyramid schemes.

The foreign ministry in a statement said that the evacuation process was the result of a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Fadhilah Yusof and China’s two vice-premiers, Liu Guozhong and Ding Xuexiang, during his official visit to China on November 16.

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‘I was beaten quite often’: Victim recounts experience with Cambodia scam operation

‘I was beaten quite often’: Victim recounts experience with Cambodia scam operation

The Malaysian embassy in Yangon had also sent at least 10 diplomatic notes to the Myanmar government requesting help to get the Malaysians out of the conflict zone.

Desperation and the lure of easy money continues to be the primary reason why hundreds of Malaysians are succumbing to the job scam traps, which span Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Marina Ibrahim, a lawmaker in the Johor state assembly shared her experience of advising her constituents not to follow their friends to work in Vietnam, concerned that it is a job scam.

“The mother came crying to my office asking for advice,” Marina said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Despite showing newspaper cuttings of previous scam victims, some refuse to heed the warning.

“They believe that they are smart and will not be scammed.”

‘We can kill you here’: inside the lawless Chinese-run scam hubs of Myanmar

A parent of one of the returned Malaysians heaved a sigh of relief and urged the youngsters to exercise caution when responding to job adverts that promise higher pay.

“It such a relief to know our loved ones are back from that treacherous hell,” the person told This Week In Asia, requesting anonymity.

“All those sleepless nights and worries are over. My message to young people is do not believe in high salary offers and please talk to your parents before taking up any job offers that are too good to be true.”

Security experts say the billion-dollar scam rooms are unlikely to close for good across Asia, but will instead relocate or adapt by using technology to reduce the workforce.