Is a Betting Outbreak About to Explode in Laukkaing, Myanmar?
Posted on: November 23, 2023, 03:01h.
Last updated on: November 23, 2023, 03:01h.
A rebel alliance in Myanmar’s Shan State has taken control of the border gambling town of Laukkaing, which has long been dominated by the Chinese mafia running its casinos and illegal businesses, such as scam call centers. This development has sent shockwaves across the region.
The rebels, comprised of ethnic minority groups and pro-democracy fighters, have already freed trafficked workers from scam call centers and apprehended prominent members of the Chinese mafia warlords who have been providing support to Myanmar’s military junta.
Trafficked Workers Killed
Details from recent events indicate that a large number of trafficked workers were being transferred from a scam center complex in Laukkaing when several were killed in a bid to escape from their captors and the ensuing pursuit by mafia warlords’ guards.
Chinese authorities have responded by issuing arrest warrants for individuals belonging to the powerful mafia families, which is believed to have triggered the present outbreak of rebellion in the region.
Coupled with the rebels’ striking advances this fall, the geopolitical fault lines in the region are becoming ever more pronounced, as they may have received tacit approval from China to continue their uprising against the junta and the mafia rulers who have long been in cahoots with the country’s leadership.
Rise of the Mafia Warlords
For decades, the region has been a hive of activities for ethnic rebel groups and local warlords. The ousting of Peng Jiasheng from control of Laukkaing in 2009 in favor of the mafia warlords, who were granted autonomy after supporting the military junta, has cultivated the present undertones of civil conflict that we see today.
Under the auspices of Bai Suocheng, these warlords have expanded their influence, while resorting to illegal practices, such as money laundering, drug and human trafficking, as well as establishing numerous large-scale telco scam centers in the area.
Latest reports indicate that Bai himself has been apprehended by the rebels and handed over to Myanmar forces, marking a critical turning point for this developing situation.