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High-ranking officials in Myanmar sanctioned for having ties to major gambling operation

December 12, 2023 Myanmar Crime & Legal iGaming & Gambling

An unofficial civil war is now raging in Myanmar, partly due to attempts to outlaw the gaming business. Two senior government officials have been sanctioned by the US, the UK, and other nations in response to this and their connections to a massive gambling operation.

On Friday, the United Kingdom jointly sanctioned Chinese businesswoman She Zhejiang, Colonel Saw Min Min Oo, and Colonel Saw Chit Thu, a commander connected to the Burmese junta’s Border Guard Force (BGF). People and companies involved in online “fraud farms” in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar have been penalized for using human trafficking to abuse laborers.

Travel restrictions limit the sanctioned individuals’ ability to move among participating countries, while asset freezes obstruct their access to economic or financial resources.

Their involvement in the Shwe Kokko town in Kayin State, where they were charged with human trafficking, forced labor, and violations of human rights, is the reason for the sanctions. Chit Lin Myaing Co. and Yatai International Holding Group, a Hong Kong-registered business allegedly run by BGF and headed by Saw Chit Thu, are both involved in the Shwe Kokko Project. The company provides funding for the BGF and has connections to Chinese criminals.

BGF remarks state that Shwe Kokko is continuing operating in spite of the accusations. The action is claimed to have considerably benefited Saw Chit Thu and his border guards.

The three are accused by the UK of being participants in or benefactors of human trafficking in Shwe Kokko, where victims are compelled to work as slaves and endure physical and psychological torture in addition to exploitation. About 120K individuals in Myanmar and another 100K in Cambodia are reportedly subjected to similar forced labor conditions, according to the UN.

She Zhejiang was detained by Thai officials in Bangkok last year on suspicion of operating an internet casino and being associated with other questionable ventures, including the gambling industry in Cambodia.