Photo: CCTV News

Ten major suspects in telecom fraud cases were handed over by Myanmar and escorted back to China on Tuesday. This is another landmark achievement in the international police and law enforcement cooperation between China and Myanmar, fully demonstrating the firm determination and strong will of the two countries to jointly crack down on transnational telecommunications and network fraud crimes, and maintain security and stability.

According to media reports on Tuesday, in response to the current severe telecommunications network fraud in northern Myanmar, China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) has been strengthening international law enforcement cooperation with relevant agencies in Myanmar. On Tuesday, the Myanmar police lawfully handed over six key leaders of the telecommunications fraud group in Kokang region, including Bai Suocheng and Bai Yingcang, as well as four other major criminal suspects.

Multiple criminal groups in the Kokang region in northern Myanmar, led by suspects including Bai Suocheng, have been organizing and establishing fraudulent bases for a long time, and engaging in rampant telecommunications and internet fraud targeting Chinese citizens. They are also suspected of committing serious violent crimes such as intentional murder, intentional injury, and illegal detention. Their criminal activities are extremely heinous, causing severe social harm and deep resentment among the people.

On December 10, 2023, based on the mastery of relevant criminal facts and evidence, China's public security authorities issued a public reward for the arrest of 10 key leaders of the telecommunications and internet fraud criminal group in northern Myanmar. With strong support from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese Embassy in Myanmar, the MPS dispatched a working group to Myanmar to carry out international law enforcement cooperation.

The working group held multiple rounds of talks and consultations with the Myanmar side, reaching a consensus on jointly combating telecommunications and internet fraud crimes, and making every effort to arrest and hand over the key leaders of the telecom and network fraud group.

According to the MPS, in order to resolutely and thoroughly eradicate the "cancer" of telecom network fraud in northern Myanmar that involves Chinese citizens, the MPS has been continuously carrying out law enforcement and security cooperation with the Myanmar police. The Yunnan public security departments have also been deepening their border law enforcement cooperation with relevant local law enforcement agencies in Myanmar.

As of now, 44,000 suspects involved in telecom network fraud in northern Myanmar have been handed over to China, including 171 key members and 2,908 fugitives online, which is a significant achievement in the fight against telecom fraud.

The public security departments will maintain a high-pressure stance against such crimes, deepen international law enforcement cooperation, and continue to arrest important leaders of telecommunications network fraud groups, so as to resolutely safeguard the safety of people's lives and property, and effectively maintain border security and stability.

According to media reports, with the strong cooperation of relevant departments in Myanmar, 41,000 suspected telecom and network fraud criminals were handed over to China in 2023.

Global Times