Bangkok - A militia in southeast Myanmar has denied the charge by a U.S.-approved militia for alleged involvement in human trafficking and online scams.

The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on Karen National Army or KNA on Monday and its leader Colonel saw Chit Thu and his sons see Htoo Eh Moo and see Chit Chit. They are accused of “promoting cyber scams that harm U.S. citizens, human trafficking and cross-border smuggling.”

"Cyber ​​scam operations, such as those run by KNA, have brought billions of dollars in revenue to the King of Crime and colleagues, while depriving victims of hard-earned savings and security," said Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender. "The Treasury is committed to using all the tools available to disrupt these networks and is responsible for those seeking to profit from these crime plans."

Those who are hired to scams are often deceived to do these jobs under false excuses and find themselves trapped in virtual slavery.

Sanctions prevent target individuals and their companies from obtaining funds and assets under U.S. control and prohibit U.S. citizens from providing financial services to them.

Saw Chit Thu has been approved by the EU and the UK to profit from scams and human trafficking.

KNA spokesman Colonel Naing Maung (operation of the official border guard force of the Karen ethnic minority related to the Myanmar military government) said the group's activities are aimed at regional development and are not related to cyber scams.

He described U.S. sanctions as an insulting act by a powerful country against a vulnerable country.

“They do it because they can,” he told the Associated Press on Tuesday.

Local militias in several border areas can actually control in areas where their minority dominates. KNA controls certain areas of Shwe Kokko and Myawaddy, on the Kayin State border with Thailand, also known as Karen State.

Shwe Kokko and Myawaddy are known for their crime groups that force thousands of people in Southeast Asia and elsewhere to help run online scams, including romantic strategies, fake investments in courts and illegal gambling programs. Critics accuse KNA of at least providing protection to the center of scams.

Naing Maung Zaw said the scam was not only carried out in areas controlled by KNA, but also elsewhere in Myawaddy.

He admitted that his team rented the land to some businesses, held property from the scam center, and said KNA would continue to repatriate foreigners working in the scam center on a large scale and work with the military government.

He said in Thailand, Thailand, Myanmar and China repatriated 7,454 of 8,575 foreign scam workers in February.

Naing Maung Zaw said there are still more than 10,000 people to be identified in KNA-controlled areas and the organization will continue to work on eliminating scam activities.

Since the Army seized the elected government from Aung San's elected government in February 2021, Kane State University has been armed conflict led by the Karen ethnic minority.

The United States has previously imposed sanctions on Myanmar's military leaders, their suppliers and state-owned banks, in connection with so-called human rights violations