China praises repatriation of 200 scam suspects

China’s Ministry of Public Security has said that Thursday’s repatriation of 200 Chinese citizens suspected of telecom fraud was a significant achievement of law enforcement cooperation between China, Myanmar and Thailand, according to a Xinhua report.

A group of 200 Chinese citizens suspected of involvement in call centre fraud returned to China on Thursday under the escort of Chinese police on Thursday after being repatriated from Myawaddy in Myanmar, the report said.

The suspects were first sent to Thailand's Mae Sot district in Tak province, which shares a border with Myawaddy, before being flown back to China on four chartered flights. They arrived at an airport in Nanjing, the capital of eastern Jiangsu province.

The ministry added that more than 800 other fraud suspects are expected to be repatriated in the coming days.

According to the ministry, law enforcement authorities from the three countries recently launched a joint telecom fraud operation in Myawaddy.

Thailand has cut off electricity, internet and fuel supplies to Myawaddy, and strengthened patrols to prevent illegal border crossings by individuals involved in scams, it said.

Myanmar, meanwhile, has deployed forces to raid telecom fraud compounds in Myawaddy, arrested fraud suspects, and rescued Chinese nationals trapped in scam operations, it added.

The ministry also vowed to continue to dismantle telecom fraud compounds and effectively safeguard the lives and property of Chinese citizens.

On Wednesday, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said that the clampdown operation at Thai-Myanmar border has resulted in electricity consumption in the relevant areas in Myanmar decreasing by 40%.

She added that more than 300 individuals involved in scam operations have been sent to Thailand, and some 7,000 more are awaiting repatriation.