Rescue Operation Saves Hong Kong Woman from Myanmar Call-Centre Gang

[webfact]

Picture courtesy: Top News

 

In a significant international effort, a 31-year-old Hong Kong woman was rescued from the clutches of a notorious call-centre scam ring operating in Myanmar.

 

This case has drawn attention to the ongoing exploitation and trafficking of individuals in Southeast Asia, particularly by criminal groups seeking to profit from illicit online operations targeting unwitting victims worldwide.

 

The joint rescue operation was led by the Royal Thai Army and Royal Thai Police. It followed an alert by the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), which warned of several Hong Kong citizens being forcibly employed by Chinese gangs running call centres and online gambling platforms from Myanmar.

 

This particular criminal outfit was believed to be active in an area close to the Thai border in Tak Province, a region notorious as a hotbed for illegal operations.

 

The ONCB had reported that the Hong Kong nationals were seeking to escape and cross into Thailand from the vicinity south of Myawaddy, a strategic location controlled by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA).

 

Myawaddy sits opposite Thailand’s Phop Phra district, an area frequently associated with cross-border criminal activities.

 

Upon receiving critical intelligence from the ONCB, the Thai authorities swiftly moved into action. They enlisted the help of Pol Col Nat Promthep, a police attaché at the Thai Embassy in Rangoon, to coordinate with the DKBA commanders.

 

Thanks to these coordinated efforts and diplomatic engagement with local authorities, the Hong Kong woman was successfully extracted and brought back to safety in Thailand on Sunday.

The Thai Army confirmed her well-being and stated that arrangements are being made to facilitate her return to Hong Kong at the earliest opportunity.

 

This operation underscores the importance of international cooperation in tackling such transnational crimes and rescuing victims stranded in hostile environments.

 

This rescue sheds light on the persisting, often underreported issue of human trafficking and forced labour in Southeast Asia, where vulnerable individuals are often coerced into working for criminal syndicates.

 

Authorities continue to stress the need for vigilance and stronger law enforcement measures across borders to thwart such criminal enterprises and ensure the safety of citizens across the region.

 

As the investigation proceeds, further efforts will be devoted to dismantling these networks and preventing future exploitation, reported The Nation.

 

-- 2025-02-03

 

 

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Myawaddy sits opposite Thailand’s Phop Phra district, an area frequently associated with cross-border criminal activities.

Time someone closed down Myawaddy for good.

[khunjeff]

The article seems to explain how she got out of Burma - permission from local strongmen, and Thai authorities who generously permitted her to cross the border without arresting her (as happened to Indonesian escapees recently) - but not how she got out of her lockup, which would seem to be the much harder part of the equation.

[thesetat]

I do hope this story gets out in China. They are already fearful to come to Thailand because of the actor taken to work at a call center recently. The Chinese social media has many warning about travelling to Thailand. Even the Chinese New Year saw less travellers this year. More news like this truly damages the perception that Thailand is a good place to travel to. More cases such as this will surely hinder more Chinese thinking to swarm Thailand with their cheapo tours.