Karen Border Guard Force: Illicit Activities and Transnational Crime Ties Exposed

The Karen Border Guard Force (KBGF), a militia group allied with Myanmar's military junta, is deeply entrenched in a network of illegal activities, including casinos, cyber-scam compounds, and Yaba pill production. The group's operations have significant links to transnational crime networks and human rights violations.

The KBGF's illicit activities are not limited to Myanmar. The group is involved in the production and distribution of Yaba pills, a potent combination of methamphetamine and caffeine. These pills are sold to D-Company, led by notorious terrorist Dawood Ibrahim. Through D-Company's extensive drug trafficking network, Yaba pills have found their way into Middle Eastern countries, the United States, Britain, and EU nations.

The KBGF's connections extend to Chinese organized crime rackets and the Syrian regime. A BBC report in March 2023 revealed that Britain, the United States, and the European Union imposed sanctions on individuals, including two cousins of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, suspected of involvement in the Captagon trade. The Syrian regime, led by Assad, is heavily involved in the multi-billion-dollar trade of Captagon, a drug similar to Yaba.

Justice For Myanmar (JFM), an advocacy group, has called for sweeping sanctions against the leaders of the KBGF. On May 22, 2024, JFM's investigation exposed the militia's involvement in illegal and abusive businesses with companies and individuals from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, China, and Hong Kong. These businesses include cyber scam parks, illegal casinos, and illegal online gambling operations.

Why this matters: The alleged involvement of the KBGF in illegal activities and its connections to transnational crime networks and human rights violations has significant implications for regional and global security. If left unchecked, it could lead to further destabilization of the region and perpetuation of human rights abuses.

Key players in these operations include She Zhijiang, chairperson of Yatai International Holding Group, who was arrested in Thailand in 2022 on an international warrant and is awaiting extradition to China. Another significant figure is Wan Kuok Koi, also known as Broken Tooth, a former 14K Triad boss who established Dongmei Park, a cyber-scam park, with Malaysian associates.

San Myint, also known as Saw Chit Thu, and his children play a central role in KBGF companies, controlling six businesses and having a minority stake in two notorious cyber-scam parks, Apollo Park and Yulong Bay Park. Malaysian citizens, including former deputy minister to the prime minister Dato Dr. Mashitah Ibrahim and her husband Datuk Abdul Shakor bin Abu Bakar, are also involved in these criminal enterprises.

Yadanar Maung, spokesperson for Justice For Myanmar, stated, "The Karen BGF KNA is responsible for war crimes and transnational crimes, which it commits with total impunity. The illegal junta not only protects these criminal activities but also profits from them as it continues to wage a war of terror against the people of Myanmar."

As Malaysia prepares to chair ASEAN in 2025, Maung emphasized the need for the country to address the involvement of its citizens in criminal activities in Myanmar. "Malaysia cannot credibly respond to the crisis in Myanmar if its own citizens are involved in these crimes," Maung asserted.

The KBGF's extensive network of illegal activities and its connections to international crime organizations highlight the urgent need for coordinated global action. The involvement of high-profile individuals and entities across multiple countries highlights the complexity and scale of the issue.

Key Takeaways

• Karen Border Guard Force (KBGF) involved in illegal casinos, cyber-scam compounds, and Yaba pill production.
• KBGF linked to transnational crime networks, human rights violations, and notorious figures like Dawood Ibrahim.
• Yaba pills distributed to Middle Eastern countries, US, Britain, and EU nations through D-Company's network.
• KBGF connected to Chinese organized crime, Syrian regime, and Captagon trade, with sanctions imposed on individuals.
• Advocacy group Justice For Myanmar calls for sanctions against KBGF leaders, citing regional and global security implications.