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Author	Dr Chat Le Nguyen
Organisation/Institution	University of Canterbury
Country	NEW ZEALAND
Panel	Criminal Law
Title	AN ANALYSIS ON RESPONSES TO TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME ASSOCIATED WITH CASINOS AND ONLINE SCAMS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Abstract	Casinos and online scams operated by organized crime groups in Southeast Asia have become significant global problems. Criminals have taken advantage of the existing casinos established in Special Economic Zone (SEZ), particularly in Myanmar, to set up sophisticated online scam schemes that defraud people in the region and around the world. Thousands of victims across the region have been trafficked and forced to work in casinos and execute lucrative online scams, such as illegal gambling and crypto fraud. There have been regional actions in responding to the crimes. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have concluded a plan to strengthen prevention measures and improve the capacities to investigate organised crime across the region. China, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos have started a special operation to combat gambling-related fraud and its associated crimes. In September 2023, the ASEAN member states and China finalised the regional cooperation roadmap to address transnational organized crime and trafficking in persons associated with casinos and scam operations in Southeast Asia. This paper will provide a critical and comparative analysis of national and regional responses to the transnational cyber-scams and frauds in Southeast Asia.
Biography	I am a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law, the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, where I teach and research on the topics of organised crime and cybercrime. I have a PhD in Law, and have worked with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Jean Monnet Actions, and Transparency International in a number of teaching initiatives and research projects on Anti-Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing, Corruption, Transnational Organised Crime, and Cybercrime in the Asia-Pacific region.