Japan will provide assistance to four countries in Southeast Asia in their efforts to combat cross-border crimes, such as scam operations.
A signing ceremony was held in Bangkok on Monday for a grant assistance program worth more than 500 million yen, or roughly 3.3 million dollars. The program aims to enhance the investigative capabilities of Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos.
Tackling transnational crimes has become a major issue in Southeast Asia. Authorities in Cambodia, Myanmar, and elsewhere have raided the facilities of criminal groups believed to have been involved in scam operations.
Assistance for the program will be provided via the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
The plan includes providing each country’s investigative authorities with equipment to analyze data on criminals’ smartphones and personal computers. It also calls for the establishment of monitoring centers that function as intelligence hubs and generate analysis.
Japan’s ambassador to Thailand Otaka Masato attended the ceremony. He said, “To effectively respond to rapidly evolving and highly adaptive networks, we must join hands and work together to confront this shared threat.”
Source: NHK World
