MANDALAY: More than 470,000 mobile SIM cards suspected of being used for cyber scams and illegal online gambling have been permanently deactivated in Mandalay Region, while authorities are also taking measures to track and disrupt financial flows linked to such activities, according to Mandalay Region Security and Border Affairs Minister Colonel Nay Lin Soe.
Speaking at the fourth regular session of the Mandalay Region Hluttaw on September 24, Maha Aung Myay Township Regional Hluttaw representative Daw Phyo Thandar raised concerns over the spread of cyber scam operations and illegal slot-gambling businesses through platforms including Viber, SMS and Telegram.
She said such operations were increasingly reaching urban areas beyond border regions and were associated with online financial fraud, human trafficking and other crimes. She asked what measures were being taken, including special operations, the monitoring and disruption of financial transactions through mobile banking services, cooperation with relevant departments to address telecommunications networks, public awareness campaigns and secure reporting mechanisms.
In response, Colonel Nay Lin Soe said authorities had taken action against cyber scam and illegal online gambling operations under Sections 33(d) and 38 of the Electronic Transactions Law.
In 2024, seven cases were opened, involving 116 suspects, including 59 men and 46 women, as well as 11 Chinese nationals. In 2025, two cases were opened involving five suspects — four men and one woman. In 2026, four cases were opened involving 42 suspects, including 14 men and 15 women and 23 Chinese nationals.
He said authorities were also monitoring Facebook, Telegram and other social media platforms for online gambling websites and applications, and taking measures to block their servers and IP addresses.
Mobile phone numbers used to send large volumes of identical SMS messages promoting online gambling are also being identified as abnormal traffic. Numbers sending the same messages to 60 phone numbers within one hour or to 1,000 phone numbers within 24 hours are subject to automatic blocking by mobile network operators.
As a result of these measures, more than 470,000 suspicious SIM cards had been permanently deactivated since August 2026, he said.
Colonel Nay Lin Soe also said the Online Fraud Law was enacted on July 31, 2026, and that authorities were implementing measures in accordance with the law.
He added that authorities were working with financial institutions to trace and identify money flows connected to online fraud and gambling, while also taking measures to disrupt transactions through mobile banking and payment services and pursuing investigations, arrests and legal action. - Eleven Media/ANN
