The widespread smuggling operations near Myawaddy, Karen State, have become a cause for concern. After gaining partial control over the area around Myawaddy, the military junta has begun arresting smugglers. Reports have emerged that smugglers are entering smugglers’ workplaces and making arrests at gunpoint. But everyone knows that the arrests are just for show.
There is another issue that could be really damaging for smugglers. The US has shut down the Starlink internet service used by smugglers in the area. It is known that about 2,500 people have been blocked in total. The smugglers in the area used to use the internet from Thailand. Later, Thailand cut off the internet and electricity, so they used Starlink. It is not known how the smugglers will continue to operate now that Starlink has been shut down. They will continue to operate in ways they cannot afford.
