Thai authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Major Saw Mote Thon, commander of Military Region 4 and Battalion 1022 of the junta-aligned Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), over cross-border human trafficking charges, according to warrant documents released on July 28.

The warrant states that Thai law enforcement gathered credible evidence showing that Saw Mote Thon—also known as Saw Eh Mote Thon, a Myanmar national believed to be around 50 years old—committed human trafficking offenses inside Thailand. The warrant authorizes legal action against him under Thai law.

“BGF officers confirmed this morning that Thailand issued an arrest warrant for Commander Saw Mote Thon,” said a source close to the militia in Karen State's Myawaddy Township. “It is well-known that Chinese-operated telecom scam compounds exist in areas under his control, along with illegal casinos, nightclubs, and karaoke lounges.”

KIC has independently verified the authenticity of the warrant documents.

While Colonel Saw Chit Thu, a top BGF leader, broke away from the junta’s central command structure to form the Karen National Army (KNA), Saw Mote Thon did not follow suit.

He has continued operating under the regime's umbrella, assisting junta military operations across Karen State as a key regional militia leader.

Saw Mote Thon operates primarily along the border between Kawkareik and Myawaddy townships.

Although he has not been directly named on international sanctions lists to date, Thai media reported in 2025 that Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) was preparing cases against several BGF figures—including Saw Mote Thon and Saw Tin Win—over human trafficking allegations.