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The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has flagged East Timor as the latest target for transnational scam centre operations, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday. The warning highlights the growing reach of organised crime networks in Southeast Asia and beyond.
According to Al Jazeera, the UNODC said that these networks have infiltrated East Timor's Special Administrative Region of Oecusse Ambeno through foreign investment schemes. Oecusse, an enclave entirely within Indonesian territory and bordered by the Savu Sea, was designated a digital free trade zone by the government in December 2024. A law enforcement raid in August, however, points to emerging scam centre activity. "Analysis links these operations to entities associated with convicted cybercriminals, offshore gambling operators, and triad-linked networks," the UNODC said in a statement. The UNODC report cited a raid on a hotel in Oecusse, which uncovered SIM cards and Starlink satellite devices consistent with patterns seen in scam centres across Southeast Asia. Al Jazeera noted that investigators found connections to China's 14K Triad criminal group, notorious for online scam activity in the region, and links to scam compounds in Cambodia. Criminal groups often exploit special economic zones designed to attract foreign investment, setting up shell companies to carry out illegal activities. These operations generate billions through offshore gambling, online romance scams, and investment fraud, the UNODC said. Al Jazeera reported that the UNODC also highlighted human trafficking risks, with workers recruited from around the world under the guise of legitimate employment, only to be forced into criminal enterprises. While it remains unclear whether workers were victims or complicit, several individuals involved held university-level qualifications in information technology. Some of those involved reportedly used "citizenship by investment" schemes, holding multiple passports that could allow them to evade law enforcement, the UNODC added. "Criminal groups are exploiting shell companies, professional services, and multiple passports to evade detection, while embedding illicit operations within legitimate investment frameworks. This trend underscores the resilience and adaptability of the scam centre industry, and the risks posed when emerging economies become targets," the UNODC said. (ANI)
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