Inside the "Shwe Padauk Myaing" scam hub: torture and human trafficking uncovered in Myawaddy

Major General Saw Chit-thu (left), Major General Saw Tin Win (middle) and Colonel Saw Htoo Eh-mu (right) are seen at the ceremony to officially change the name of the BGF to the KNA on January 1. A Chinese national who escaped from the Yulong Bay (aka Shwe Pi Tauk Myaing) online money laundering operation near Thae Pon village in Myawaddy township, owned by Colonel Saw Htoo Eh-mu, the son of Karen National Army (KNA) leader Major General Saw Chit-thu. Many foreigners are being tortured and forced to work in the Yulong Bay (aka Shwe Pi Tauk Myaing) online money laundering operation near Thae Pon village in Myawaddy township, according to a Chinese national who escaped from the operation.

Mizzima Special Correspondent Han Htoo Zaw (Mizzima) 

A Chinese survivor who recently escaped the Yulong Bay (also known as Shwe Padauk Myaing) online scam compound near Thae Pone village, Myawaddy Township, has exposed a brutal system of daily torture, extortion, and forced labour involving over 5,000 trafficked foreigners.

The facility is reportedly owned by Colonel Saw Htoo Eh Moo, commander of the Karen National Army (KNA) 777 Tactical Command and son of KNA leader Colonel Saw Chit Thu, according to a Chinese national who escaped from the compound.

In October 2025, when the crackdown occurred on the KK Park scam compound near Ingynn Myaing village in Myawaddy Township, the “Hton Shin Group” from Shwe Jin Site-5 (A5) within KK Park relocated to Yulong Bay near Thae Pone village.

As the Myanmar junta continued conducting raids of scam buildings in the Shwe Kokko area, gang members from those facilities fled. They subsequently secretly continuing their online scam operations in the staff housing area of Yulong Bay, specifically on the third floor of row 2 in the 19-unit building row.

“There is daily torture. They punch, slap, force people to kneel on the ground, and beat them until they vomit. Those who say they want to go home are beaten nearly to death. They are kept in dark rooms, detained in the local army (KNA) cells, and threatened,” a Chinese survivor told Mizzima.

Scam workers from the Hton Shin Group merged with Yulong Bay after the collapse of KK Park. It is reported that one Chinese national suffered severe eye injuries requiring 15 stitches and permanent disfigurement after being beaten by Chinese mafia members.

A view of 19 three-story buildings in Yulong Bay. A Chinese national who escaped from the Yulong Bay (aka Shwe Pi Tauk Myaing) online money laundering operation near Thae Pon Village in Myawaddy Township, owned by Colonel Saw Htoo Eh Moo, the son of Karen National Army (KNA) leader Major General Saw Chit-thu, said that many foreigners are being tortured and forced to work in the Yulong Bay (aka Shwe Pi Tauk Myaing) online money laundering operation near Thae Pon Village in Myawaddy Township.

Once the injured Chinese man’s eye had healed, he was taken out of the detention cell, handed over to the KNA forces, and subsequently sent back to China.

The survivor said, “He was only allowed to leave and be sent back to China because his former boss personally called to apologize and came to pick him up. If he hadn’t come, the man might have died.”

The current employer responsible for the beatings is identified as “Ah Sin,” who uses the online alias “Jin Zeling.” His subordinates include managers named Tan San, Shan Tianxue, and Mo Wan.

It is alleged that the Human Resources (HR) department, staff, and security personnel under them commit extremely cruel acts on a daily basis. Trafficked workers who wish to return home are extorted for sums of $10,000 USD or more. Even after paying, they are often not released and continue to be detained.

Over 5,000 foreigners are reportedly trapped there and forced to work in the scam industry. Yulong Bay is located nearly 10 miles from Myawaddy, along the Moei River on the Thai-Myanmar border.

Yulong Bay is also referred to as “Shwe Padauk Myaing,” while locals call the area “Wang Kha.”

Construction of the scam compound began in 2020, and it is operated by Yulong Bay Resort Tourism Development Company Limited (Yulong Bay Park).

According to reports released by Justice For Myanmar, Saw Htoo Eh Moo, Saw Soe Hlaing Oo, Saw Min Min Oo, and Singaporean national Aw Ziyang hold shares in Yulong Bay Park. 

Saw Htoo Eh Moo is a Colonel in the KNU commanding the 777 Tactical Command of its Military Region 3. He is the eldest son of KNA leader Colonel Saw Chit Thu, previously a senior commander in the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF).

Records from Myanmar’s Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) show that Yulong Bay Resort Tourism Development Company Limited has been an officially registered company in Myanmar since 2020.

Furthermore, Mizzima has learned through investigation that online scam operations continue in the nearby Royal Dragon Bay (107 Acres) and Apollo Park.

NASA satellite imagery of night-time activity shows bright lights at Yulong Bay Park, Royal Dragon Bay, and Apollo Park, indicating ongoing operations.

Yulong Bay Park seen on the banks of the Thaung Rin River on the Thai-Myanmar border in Myawaddy Township / Google earth pro. Many foreigners are being tortured and forced to work in the Yulong Bay (aka Shwe Pi Tauk Myaing) online money laundering farm near Myawaddy Township’s Thaung Pon Village, owned by Colonel Saw Htoo Aung Moo, the son of Karen National Army (KNA) leader Major General Saw Chit-thu, according to a Chinese national who escaped from the farm.

Apollo Park is operated by Myanmar Apollo International Investment Company Limited, involving Saw Htoo Eh Moo, Saw Soe Hlaing Oo, Chinese national Li Chunhuan, Htin Aung, and Win Naing, as detailed in Justice For Myanmar reports.

On 5 May, 2025, the United States imposed economic sanctions on KNA leader Saw Chit Thu and his two sons, Colonel Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Lt. Col. Saw Chit Chit. The KNA itself was also designated as a transnational criminal organization.