The telecom scam compounds that once packed out Kokang and Wa State haven't shut down—they’ve just moved house. According to a report by local think tank ISP-Myanmar, the fraud syndicates scattered after Operation 1027 didn't disappear. Instead, they have been quietly shifting their operations south and east across Shan State, setting up fresh hubs in Tangyan, Laihka, Tachileik, and Muse.
By early September, at least 25 scam dens were identified still operating under the radar across at least 17 townships, including Hopong, Laihka, Namsang, Mai Ya, Tangyan, Kengtung, Mong Hsat, Mong Htong, and Tachileik. From the street, they look harmless enough—just ordinary rental houses and roadside shophouses. But come nightfall, behind heavy, drawn curtains and amidst the drift of motorbike exhaust, the lights burn bright inside. It is the same old operation running behind closed doors: criminal gangs hooked up to high-speed internet lines.
ISP-Myanmar noted that its data was compiled from open sources covering January 2023 to April 2026, so ground realities mean the actual numbers are likely higher than reported. But for locals across Shan State, the pattern is already painfully clear. All these groups need is a new stretch of hills, a leased building, and a steady web connection, and their shady business is right back up and running.
