Kenya Repatriates 119 Nationals from Myanmar Scam Compounds

By Staff, Agencies

Kenya has repatriated 119 of its citizens who were rescued from illegal employment scam compounds in Myanmar, while nearly 200 others remain stranded in shelters and detention facilities, the Foreign Ministry announced.

The victims were trafficked to fraud hubs in Myanmar’s Karen State near the Thai border, where foreign workers were coerced into running online scams after being lured by fake job offers. The compounds flourished in areas such as Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko.

According to the ministry, September raids by Myanmar authorities on the scam centers involved arrests, seizures, bombings, and demolitions, forcing criminal operators to flee and abandon workers.

More than 200 Kenyans sought refuge in military shelters inside Myanmar, while over 100 crossed into Thailand.

Of those rescued, 119 have now returned to Kenya. Seven others are awaiting rebooked flights after last-minute cancellations.

The ministry said 86 Kenyans initially refused cooperation, demanding government-funded tickets, but later provided next-of-kin details.

Currently, 198 Kenyans still await repatriation: 129 in Myanmar shelters and 66 in Thailand’s immigration detention centers.

Kenyan officials are also coordinating with three nationals housed in a Catholic safe facility in Cambodia.

Returned victims are being interviewed by Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations to aid prosecutions against transnational human trafficking syndicates.

The repatriation comes amid broader regional efforts to dismantle Southeast Asia’s cyber-scam networks, which have trapped thousands of foreign workers in recent years.