Indonesian officials said they had saved 20 of their citizens who were trafficked to Myanmar as part of a cyber scam.
More than 1,000 victims of human trafficking were rescued in two separate operations in Southeast Asia last week
The victims were offered high-paying jobs in Thailand but were instead trafficked to Myawaddy to perform cyber scams for cryptocurrency websites or apps. A video made by one of the victims went viral on social media, drawing a national outcry in Indonesia. It showed dozens of workers in a dormitory room asking the government to help them out of “the war zone” where they see violence almost every day. The Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok said it would work with Thai authorities to repatriate the victims to Indonesia.
More than 170 trafficking victims rescued in the Philippines during a Thursday night operation are from Indonesia
Police, along with other government agencies, rescued 1,090 human trafficking victims in total in Mabalacat City, Pampanga. The victims were from Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Myanmar, and the Philippines. Officials said the victims were also forced into working for a fake cyber industry and made to victimize “their fellow citizens.” The Philippine National Police said they would continue to work closely with other agencies to ensure that those who engage in such heinous crimes are held accountable. PNP Chief Benjamin Acorda called for unity in the fight against human trafficking and help to put an end to this inhumane practice.
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