There are still 100,000 people working in scam centers along the Thai-Myanmar border.

Thailand is leading a regional effort to eliminate the smuggling hubs along its borders, part of a network of illegal operations in Southeast Asia that rake in billions of dollars a year, according to the United Nations. The workers are often trafficked there by criminal gangs.

But according to Thailand’s Inspector General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, hundreds of people who have been rescued from the scam centers voluntarily came in voluntarily. He called for investigations into these people, who are citizens of more than a dozen countries, to screen them for criminals. Jason Tower, an analyst at the United States Institute of Peace and an expert on regional scam centers, said many of those who came voluntarily were later trapped by the scam groups.

Thatchai said the crackdown has so far affected only a small fraction of the vast operations in Myawaddy, and that there are still 50,000 to 100,000 people in the centers. Based on information gathered by Thai police and Chinese authorities, at least 3,700 criminals continue to operate in the area.

Thailand is pushing for the establishment of a multinational coordination center to repatriate, investigate and share information to prosecute criminals. Thatchai stressed the need to free the above people as soon as possible so that the Myanmar authorities can carry out further raids.