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Slavery: Thousands rescued from illegal scam compounds in Myanmar as Thailand launches huge crackdown
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/19/myanmar-scam-call-centre-compound-rescues-thailand-crackdownThousands rescued from illegal scam compounds in Myanmar as Thailand launches huge crackdown
Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos have become havens for criminal syndicates operating online scam operations and tricking thousands into enslaved work
Leila Goldstein
Wed 19 Feb 2025 01.17 EST
About 7,000 people have been rescued from illegal call centre operations in Myanmar and were waiting to be transferred to Thailand, prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Wednesday, as the country launched a large-scale crackdown on scam centres operating on the border.
The prime minister’s announcement came after Thai police said they were preparing to receive up to 10,000 foreigners rescued from a network of notorious scam centres.
Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, which share borders with Thailand, have in recent years become havens for transnational crime syndicates operating online scam operations, including romance scams, bogus investments and illegal gambling.
…
The operations have become increasingly globalised, with victims from across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East tricked into enslaved work. Scams targeting east and south-east Asians resulted in financial losses between $18bn and $37bn in 2023, the UN estimates.
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