Myanmar's Scam Hub KK Park Remains Largely Intact Despite Military's Claimed Crackdown

Myanmar's military has claimed a significant crackdown on a major scam compound, but satellite imagery analyzed by AFP reveals that most buildings at the site remain intact as of Sunday.

According to AFP's analysis of KK Park, a notorious scam center located in Myanmar's poorly regulated border regions, recent military operations have damaged approximately 100 structures—representing only about 25% of the entire complex.

This limited destruction contradicts the military junta's public statements. The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper declared on Sunday that "all the buildings are being demolished," a claim not supported by the satellite evidence.

The satellite images from Planet Labs PBC, captured between October 30 and Sunday, document just 22 buildings completely destroyed and approximately 80 others damaged or likely damaged. Notably, the central section of the complex, which has seen extensive development in recent months, appears untouched by the operations.

An AFP investigation in October had already revealed ongoing construction at KK Park following a previous highly-publicized crackdown earlier this year, suggesting the illicit operations continued to thrive despite official claims.

While local residents near KK Park reported hearing occasional explosions since the announcement of the latest raids, and state television broadcast footage of building demolitions, Jason Tower from the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime characterized the military's actions as merely "a PR stunt" designed to create an "illusion of a crackdown."

The Myanmar military, which seized power in a 2021 coup that ignited civil war across the country, has been accused of securing support from powerful militias by allowing them to profit from these scam operations. Simultaneously, the junta faces pressure from China, its key international backer, to shut down these criminal enterprises, creating a delicate balancing act for the regime.

The current disruption has reportedly caused approximately 1,500 workers to flee across the border to Thailand. However, experts suggest that many more likely remained in Myanmar, simply relocating to other nearby scam centers.

Tower emphatically stated that "the Myanmar military's claims that it has dismantled scam syndicates are entirely false," highlighting the disconnect between the regime's public statements and the reality on the ground.

These scam operations employ both willing workers and individuals who report being trafficked by criminal syndicates. Their targets range from unsuspecting bank managers to vulnerable widows across various countries.