Asian crime syndicates responsible for multibillion-dollar cyber scam operations are expanding to South America and Africa, the United Nations reported on Monday.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said these criminal networks have grown from Southeast Asia into a global threat.
These syndicates have built massive compounds with tens of thousands of workers, many of whom are trafficked and forced into online scams. Despite intensified crackdowns in Southeast Asia, the UNODC said the operations are evolving and relocating globally.
UNODC estimates that the operations of these cyber criminals generate tens of billions of dollars annually.
In 2023 alone, the United States reported $5.6 billion in losses to crypto-related scams. Over $4 billion of this came from “pig-butchering” or romance scams aimed at vulnerable individuals, especially the elderly.
John Wojcik, a UNODC analyst, explained that cyber fraud had surpassed other transnational crimes due to its scalability and global reach. It does not require smuggling physical goods and can target millions through digital means.
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Global Expansion
The UNODC also revealed that syndicates are establishing operations in Africa, notably in Zambia, Angola, and Namibia, as well as in parts of Eastern Europe like Georgia. In South America, they are forging money laundering partnerships with local drug cartels.
These groups are increasingly multinational, with victims and forced workers coming from over 50 countries.
Authorities in China, Thailand, and Myanmar launched a joint crackdown on syndicates along the Thai-Myanmar border. Recent rescues on the Thai-Myanmar border included citizens from Brazil, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan.
UNODC says the world is at a “critical inflection point.” Failure to act decisively could cause severe long-term consequences in Southeast Asia and beyond.
Source: Reuters
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