The successful rescue of another scam farm victim has prompted the relatives of two others who are also reportedly trapped in Southeast Asia to ask for support on Monday.
The Hong Kong Security Bureau on Sunday confirmed that another Hong Kong resident who was being detained at a scam farm in Myanmar has been rescued and has arrived in Thailand.
The victim, a 31-year-old woman, was reportedly rescued by Thai authorities from a Myanmar scam farm situated near Thailand’s border.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the bureau said it will arrange for the victim to return to Hong Kong as soon as possible. The Security Bureau said it will continue to coordinate with the authorities in Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and other relevant countries to follow up on all requests for assistance with cases involving Hong Kong residents who have yet to be rescued, and will strive to ensure their return to Hong Kong as soon as possible.
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On Monday morning, the relatives of two still-detained residents submitted a petition letter to the Thai Consulate-General in Hong Kong, asking Thai authorities to help bring their family members back home.
Relatives of the victim described the recent rescue as an inspiration and said that they are overjoyed that the victim is now free. However, they added that they remain deeply concerned about their imprisoned family members.
Relatives of one detainee revealed that they had earlier been in contact with their detained family member but had later lost contact. They hope for more support from both the Hong Kong and the Thai governments to secure the safe return of their loved one.
Since last year, the Hong Kong authorities have received over 20 reports concerning residents who have been lured to Southeast Asia and then forced to engage in fraudulent activities at scam farms. In some cases, Thailand was used as a transit hub for human trafficking.
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In mid-January, the bureau confirmed — after sending a high-profile task force led by Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk Hau-yip to Thailand — that there were at least 12 Hong Kong residents still detained at scam farms in Southeast Asia countries; they had been lured to various locations with false promises of employment.
Some have since been rescued following the task force’s trip, including a 29-year-old man who returned to Hong Kong before Chinese New Year accompanied by members of the task force.
Currently, eight Hong Kong people are confirmed to be held illegally at scam farms in Myanmar and Cambodia, who are being forced to participate in illegal activities such as telecommunication fraud and online casino scams.
The task force, which is dedicated to assisting victims of human trafficking, was founded in 2022, following numerous reports of Hong Kong residents being lured to Southeast Asia by promises of lucrative employment. The government’s efforts have led to the rescue of more than 40 victims.
However, since the middle of last year, there has been a resurgence in the number of reports related to human trafficking, prompting increased vigilance by the authorities.
