ISTANBUL

SpaceX has deactivated more than 2,500 Starlink devices that were being used by cyber scam syndicates operating in a remote area of Myanmar, the company headed by Elon Musk announced Wednesday.

“On the rare occasion we identify a violation, we take appropriate action, including working with law enforcement agencies around the world,” said SpaceX’s vice president of business operations for Starlink, Lauren Dreyer.

“In Myanmar, for example, SpaceX proactively identified and disabled over 2,500 Starlink Kits in the vicinity of suspected ‘scam centers’,” she noted on US social media company X.

Separately, Thai PBS reported Thursday that hundreds of Chinese nationals working in scam call centers in Myanmar have fled a crackdown by Myanmar troops by swimming across the Moei River into neighboring Thailand.

Thai security forces said several suspected Chinese scammers managed to flee to the Thai side of the river in Ban Mae Ku Kai Tha Sung, Mae Sot district, where they were apprehended for questioning.

Reports suggest that some drowned in the river's strong currents, while others fled to different parts of Myanmar, fearing deportation to China rather than heading toward Thailand.

In response to the escapes, Thai border forces have been reinforced, anticipating an increase in the number of scammers attempting to cross as the crackdown intensifies.​​​​​​​