EU Imposes Sanctions on Individuals and Company Linked to Myanmar Military Junta
The European Union has issued new sanctions against three individuals and one company associated with a military junta in Myanmar. The sanctions are in response to their involvement in fraudulent operations targeting local residents and people from neighboring countries.
The GIT LINN Myain Group (CLM) and its founder, former chairman Colonel SOU CHIT THU, have been included in the sanctions list. CLM is known for engaging in fraudulent activities in the Myavaeddy area on the Thailand-Myanmar border, particularly in the city of Shva Kokko. This region has seen criminal activities such as online scams, human trafficking, and drug trafficking, leading to serious human rights violations including forced labor and torture. The company has close ties to the military, providing intelligence and forcibly recruiting soldiers.
Lieutenant Colonel Mout Tun and Major Tin Win have also been added to the sanctions list. Mout Tun is a co-founder and deputy secretary of the Karen border forces, with influence in the southern part of Myaveddy where fraudulent activities are concentrated. Major Tin Win works under Colonel SOU THU and is involved in fraudulent projects in locations like Kokko, KK Park, and Huanya.
The total number of individuals and organizations under EU sanctions now stands at 106 people and 22 entities. Sanctioned individuals are barred from entering the EU, their assets are frozen, and any cooperation with them is prohibited. These new measures complement the EU’s halt of financial assistance to the Myanmar government and the suspension of support that could benefit the junta.
In August 2023, the UN estimated that approximately 120,000 individuals were recruited in Myanmar for fraudulent operations. Chinese state media reported in January 2024 that around 41,000 individuals involved in telecommunications fraud in Myanmar were handed over to Chinese authorities over the past year. The extent to which these detainees were victims of human trafficking rather than active participants in cyber scams remains unclear, but the region has seen numerous cases