Global Crime Nexus with Local Impact

BANGKOK, THAILAND – She Zhijiang, a Chinese national accused of masterminding one of Asia's largest online gambling and cyber-scam syndicates, was extradited from Thailand to China on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, to face a raft of criminal charges. The 43-year-old, who also holds a Cambodian passport, is linked to sprawling criminal enterprises in Myanmar that have become notorious hubs for human trafficking, forcibly drawing in victims from across the globe, including a significant and growing number from Kenya and East Africa.

Thai authorities handed She over to Chinese law enforcement at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport on Wednesday afternoon, East Africa Time, following a prolonged legal battle. He was arrested in Bangkok in August 2022 based on an Interpol Red Notice issued at Beijing's request. A Thai criminal court approved his extradition in May 2024, a decision upheld by an appeals court on Monday, November 10, 2025, despite legal challenges from his defense team.

The Shwe Kokko Connection: A Hub for Trafficking and Fraud

At the heart of She's alleged empire is the Shwe Kokko Special Economic Zone in Myanmar, a US$15 billion casino and tourism complex on the Thai-Myanmar border. While promoted as a legitimate investment, international authorities describe it as a purpose-built city for transnational crime. The United States Treasury Department, which sanctioned She and his Yatai International Holding Group, has described Shwe Kokko as a center for “gambling, drug trafficking, prostitution, and scams targeting people around the world.” The United Kingdom has also imposed sanctions on She for his connection to forced labor schemes within these scam farms.

These scam centers, which have proliferated across Southeast Asia, particularly in the poorly regulated border regions of Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, are staffed by a trafficked workforce. A 2024 report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlighted that hundreds of thousands of people have been lured by fraudulent job offers and are now held against their will, forced to perpetrate online scams targeting a global audience. These operations are estimated to generate tens of billions of dollars annually.

The Kenyan Connection: A Growing Source for Trafficked Labour

The criminal syndicates running these scam compounds have increasingly targeted English-speaking populations to defraud victims in Europe and North America. This has led to a sharp rise in the trafficking of individuals from East Africa. Kenyan officials have expressed growing alarm over this “sophisticated menace.” On Wednesday, November 12, 2025, Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS, Musalia Mudavadi, stated that approximately 400 Kenyans had been lured by false promises of high-paying jobs, only to be trapped in conditions of “modern slavery.”

According to the Kenyan government, its embassy in Bangkok has facilitated the rescue and repatriation of nearly 500 victims since July 2022. However, at least 126 Kenyans remain stranded, with 57 in Myanmar and 69 in Thailand. The UNODC has confirmed this trend, noting that as recruitment becomes more difficult in Asia, trafficking networks are increasingly looking to Africa for skilled individuals. Victims are often subjected to severe abuse, including torture, to force their compliance in perpetrating scams, which range from fraudulent cryptocurrency investments to romance fraud.

International Crackdown and Future Implications

She Zhijiang's extradition marks a significant victory for Chinese authorities in their long-running battle against cross-border gambling and telecommunications fraud, which they allege has victimized over 330,000 people in China alone. Chinese police also accuse She of harboring 248 separate telecom fraud groups within his facilities. The case highlights the increasing international cooperation aimed at dismantling these vast criminal networks. “The Chinese have asked for this suspect, which is a high priority for China,” Police Lieut. Gen. Jirabhop Bhuridej of the Thai police told reporters.

For Kenya, the case underscores the urgent threat posed by these globalized criminal enterprises. CS Mudavadi warned that rescued individuals, having been trained in cybercrime, could pose a domestic security risk upon their return. The Kenyan government is now focusing on nationwide awareness campaigns and strengthening legal frameworks to combat the trafficking pipeline. The extradition of a central figure like She Zhijiang is a critical step, but the vast, decentralized network of scam centers continues to pose a significant and direct threat to the safety and security of Kenyan citizens seeking opportunities abroad.