File picture from Nov 7, 2018, shows police escorting suspects of telecom fraud off a plane in Shenzhen. - Xinhua
BEIJING: A total of 31,000 suspects have been transferred from Myanmar to Chinese custody to date in a crackdown on telecom fraud originating from northern Myanmar and affecting Chinese citizens, the Ministry of Public Security announced on Tuesday (Nov 21).
Among the suspects are 63 alleged masterminds, organisers, or key members, as well as 1,531 fugitives.
Since September this year, acting on the orders of the Ministry of Public Security and the Yunnan Provincial Public Security Department, public security authorities in regions such as Xishuangbanna, Pu'er, and Lincang have collaborated with law enforcement agencies in Myanmar to carry out border law enforcement cooperation.
This has resulted in the successful transfer of a large number of telecom fraud suspects to Chinese authorities.
In November, to further strengthen the crackdown, Chinese public security authorities intensified their cooperation with Myanmar in law enforcement and launched a fierce offensive against telecom fraud crimes in northern Myanmar, leading to significant achievements and multiple successes.
Ming Guoping, Ming Julan and Ming Zhenzhen, ringleaders of a telecom and online fraud criminal gang in northern Myanmar's Kokang Self-Administered Zone, were arrested, while the chief criminal of the gang Ming Xuechang committed suicide out of fear of punishment.
A large number of overseas fraud dens have been successfully eradicated, dealing a heavy blow to overseas fraud groups.
On Nov 18, border law enforcement cooperation in Dehong achieved a major breakthrough as authorities in Muse, northern Myanmar, handed over 571 telecom fraud suspects to Chinese authorities.
Chinese public security authorities have vowed to maintain high-pressure crackdowns on telecom fraud groups in northern Myanmar, deepen border law enforcement cooperation with Myanmar, organise targeted crackdown operations, and make every effort to eliminate dens, apprehend fraud suspects, and resolutely safeguard the safety and legitimate interests of the people, as well as maintain border security and stability.
