Reliable public primary sources do not provide a comprehensive nationwide crime rate or victim survey for Myanmar. This limitation prevents a sound overall prevalence figure. In Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw, reported risks include bag snatching, pickpocketing, theft of unattended property in public places or hotels, house and apartment burglary, taxi-related assaults and confidence scams. Myanmar's cash-based economy makes it safer to keep cash and jewellery out of sight. Violence against foreign visitors is described as uncommon in the available travel information, but assaults and taxi attacks have been documented. Border areas have a different risk profile. Kayin State, Myawaddy, Shwe Kokko and KK Park, as well as eastern Shan State locations such as Tachileik, Muse, Mong La and Laukkai, are associated with human trafficking, online scam compounds, telecommunications fraud, illegal gambling and forced labour. Recruitment often begins with fake jobs advertised through social media or messaging services. Some victims face passport confiscation, guards, ransom demands, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, forced surrogacy or enforced online fraud. Local and foreign nationals can be affected. State reporting and protection may be unreliable in border areas or territories controlled by armed organizations. Myanmar authorities reported that, between February 2022 and February 2025, they received inquiries from 38 countries concerning 4,666 foreign victims, rescued 1,399 people and transferred 1,327 to their countries of origin. These figures have not been independently verified. In 2025, authorities reported 138 arrests connected with online scams in Muse. Such figures describe reported enforcement activity, not the total scale of crime. Gender-based violence, including domestic violence, rape and other sexual violence, remains relevant. Underreporting is substantial, comprehensive national statistics are unavailable and the quality of investigation and protection varies. A person facing immediate danger should leave for a safer place, contact Police at 199 if reachable and avoid confrontation. A regional Myanmar Police Force, or MPF, contact can also be sought through the Myanmar National Portal. There is no verified nationwide victim-support service for all ordinary offenses. Specialist channels exist for particular cases. The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division, abbreviated ATPD, can be reached in Nay Pyi Taw at 067-3411317. Authorities list 24-hour trafficking hotlines in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon, Mandalay and Muse. The Criminal Department is listed at 067-3412567, the Anti-Financial Crime Division at 067-3411477 and the Drug Enforcement Division at 067-3401139. Jurisdiction and case classification should be confirmed because access and response times vary by area. Reporting is not subject to a verified nationwide fee, but legal assistance, translation, transport and telecommunications costs are not regulated uniformly. The Myanmar Cyber Emergency Response Team, known as mmCERT, provides technical incident handling, warnings and incident reports. Its listed contact details are +95 67 3422272 and incident@mmcert.org.mm. mmCERT does not replace a criminal complaint for fraud, blackmail or trafficking. Preserve screenshots, messages, transaction information and relevant device logs when this can be done safely, and do not open further unknown links or files. Keep software updated and protect access to phones, accounts and identity documents. The Anti-Trafficking Law gives women, children and young people specific dignity and safety protections. Proceedings may be held privately in suitable cases, and a victim should not be punished under that law for being trafficked; any additional allegation requires case-specific assessment. The law treats a child as someone under 16 and a young person as someone aged 16 or 17. Young people face particular risks from forced labour, sexual exploitation and online recruitment, but no verified nationwide youth emergency number was found. Official anti-trafficking procedures provide for return, repatriation, reintegration, rehabilitation and shelter support. Named shelters include facilities in Myawaddy, Muse, Kawthoung, Mandalay and Yangon, although access depends strongly on location, border conditions and the authorities controlling the area. Foreign victims may involve their embassy, a national central bureau or a police liaison in addition to local authorities. Drug production and trafficking are especially significant in Shan and Kachin areas and along international trafficking networks. UNODC's 2025 assessment recorded 53,100 hectares of opium cultivation in Myanmar and estimated the opiate economy at US$641 million to US$1.051 billion. The assessment attributed 44% of cultivation to southern Shan sectors, 21% to northern Shan and 23% to eastern Shan. Methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs from the Golden Triangle are also linked to transnational trafficking, money laundering, scam infrastructure and organized crime. Political or conflict violence, unexploded ordnance, natural disasters and ordinary consumer disputes require separate safety or legal pathways rather than being treated as one general crime category.
Crime in Myanmar
Crime in Myanmar covers actual or threatened criminal conduct, including theft, scams, human trafficking, digital fraud, drug trafficking and violence. Patterns and access to police or victim protection differ sharply between major cities, border regions and areas outside reliable state control. A safe escape, careful evidence preservation and the right reporting channel often matter more than confronting the suspected offender.
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