Vientiane: In a significant step toward combating rapidly expanding cross-border telecom and online fraud networks, law-enforcement agencies from China, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam have agreed to intensify joint action and formalize deeper cooperation. The decision was announced following a multilateral meeting held on Friday in Kunming, capital of China’s Yunnan province.
According to China’s Ministry of Public Security, senior security officials from all six countries held extensive discussions on strengthening operational coordination. The meeting concluded with the signing of multiple outcome documents, reaffirming a shared regional commitment to dismantling transnational criminal groups engaged in telecom fraud, illegal gambling, and related online financial crimes.
Expanded Regional Framework for Joint Action
Under the new arrangement, the six nations will:
- Launch coordinated multinational operations targeting organized fraud syndicates.
- Establish regular cross-border coordination mechanisms to ensure faster response times.
- Deepen real-time intelligence sharing on fraudulent networks, operational bases, and key operatives.
- Continue the repatriation and handover of arrested suspects, particularly those operating across borders.
Officials highlighted that the new mechanism builds on several years of growing collaboration, during which China and its neighboring countries have carried out a series of high-impact operations across major crime hubs in the region.
Large-Scale Crackdowns Already Underway
The ministry cited several major joint actions conducted this year:
- China–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Coordination:
The three nations launched targeted operations against illegal gambling and telecom fraud networks in Myawaddy (Myanmar). Myanmar authorities have repatriated over 5,500 suspects to China under this framework. - China–Laos Joint Sweep:
A coordinated raid on telecom fraud bases in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone resulted in the arrest of more than 600 suspects in a single operation. - China–Vietnam and China–Cambodia Enforcement Drives:
Joint action with Vietnam led to the capture of 149 individuals linked to telecom fraud and online gambling networks.
In Cambodia, a major sweep conducted with Chinese police resulted in 2,141 arrests, all of whom were subsequently repatriated.
These operations, officials said, have significantly disrupted the functioning of transnational crime networks that have increasingly used remote border zones and special economic regions as operational hubs.
China Signals Strong Commitment to Ongoing Crackdowns
China’s Ministry of Public Security stated that the country will continue to strengthen international law-enforcement partnerships, expand intelligence-driven joint operations, and pursue the dismantling of major fraud hubs across the region. Authorities emphasized that the fight against telecom fraud remains a high national priority due to its impact on public safety and financial stability.
With growing digital connectivity across Southeast Asia, regional governments have acknowledged the need for tight, coordinated, and technology-enabled law-enforcement strategies to counter rapidly evolving fraud networks.
