The Border Guard Force (BGF) of Myanmar's Karen State recently handed over 43 Ethiopian citizens suspected of involvement in online fraud and human trafficking to Thailand through the Second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge. This transfer operation was coordinated with the Thai Immigration Bureau and border management departments, taking place at the border checkpoint in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand.
It was revealed that these Ethiopian citizens were previously detained by Myanmar authorities for illegal entry and were accused of engaging in telecommunications fraud and cross-border human trafficking. Myanmar authorities arrested them during a crackdown and completed the deportation process after reaching an agreement with Thailand.
In fact, this is not the first such transfer operation recently. As early as June 6, Myanmar had repatriated 8 Filipino and 1 Congolese individuals involved in similar cases through the same channel, demonstrating the ongoing collaboration and effective execution between the two countries in combating transnational crime.
Thai border affairs officials stated that such transfer actions reflect the deepening results of Myanmar-Thailand cooperation on border security and law enforcement, and also highlight the joint determination of both countries to curb the infiltration of international criminal networks in Southeast Asia. As telecommunications fraud and human trafficking become more international and diversified, border areas have become high-risk zones, posing severe challenges to law enforcement agencies.
The deported individuals are now under the custody of the Thai police and immigration bureau, entering the review process. Relevant units will assess whether to prosecute, repatriate to their country of origin, or conduct further investigations based on current Thai laws to clarify their specific roles in the regional criminal network.
The Thai government also stated that it will strengthen cooperation with neighboring countries, including Myanmar, to closely monitor population movements, combat illegal entry and cross-border telecommunications fraud. It also calls on the international community to pay attention to the transnational trend of telecommunications fraud and human trafficking in Southeast Asia, and to collaborate in building a more effective joint response mechanism to prevent the region from becoming a haven for global criminal groups.
