ASTANA – Four Kazakh citizens have been repatriated to Kazakhstan after they were forced into labor in Myanmar, reported the Dunyo agency of Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry.
Photo credit: freepik.com
Two Uzbek citizens have sought help from the country’s consulate to return home. There were also eight citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic.
They were lured to Thailand with promises of high-paying online jobs and free tickets from Uzbekistan. Upon arrival, they were illegally taken to Myanmar to be forced to work in fraudulent call centers. They faced threats and physical violence when refusing to comply. A large ransom was demanded for their release.
Due to the absence of the Kyrgyz Republic’s consulate in Thailand, Kazakh and Uzbek diplomats coordinated efforts to secure the release and repatriation. Following negotiations with the authorities in Myanmar and Thailand, the group was released and transferred to diplomats at the Mae Sot border checkpoint in Thailand. Temporary shelter and food were provided before they headed home.
According to Interpol, trafficking for cyber fraud has become an increasingly globalized crime. Online scam centers were first concentrated in Cambodia but later expanded to trafficking hubs in Laos and Myanmar.
