Telecom Scam Operations Expand in Payathonzu, Karen State with DKBA Involvement

New telecom scam facilities are being constructed in Payathonzu, Karen State, with the involvement of local military group DKBA. Over 1,000 workers are engaged in building hundreds of structures on a coffee plantation owned by Colonel Saw A One. Chinese nationals are reportedly leading these operations, having received support from the DKBA for protection. The scam operations have moved from Kyeinchaung Village to this new location after previous sites were compromised.

Published Mar 29, 2026

Telecom scam operations are expanding in Payathonzu, Karen State, with new facilities being built on a coffee plantation along the road to Htilonnyu Waterfall. Colonel Saw A One, of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, owns the 700-acre plantation.

AI-curated by Theia

Telecom operators are employing over 1,000 workers to construct hundreds of buildings and have a five-year contract with Saw A One. The operations, previously located in Kyeinchaung Village, relocated after their site was compromised.

Many Chinese nationals are leading these scams, receiving support and protection from the DKBA. Following a crackdown in Shwe Kokko Town, similar activities have shifted to Payathonzu and other areas.