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Foreign Ministry to rescue more human trafficking victims from Myanmar
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Alleged victims of scam centers board a boat to cross the river on the Myanmar-Thai border to be met by Thai Army soldiers as they are repatriated from Kyauk Khet in Myanmar's Myawaddy township on Feb. 12, 2025. More than 260 people, many visibly injured or bruised, were rescued from an illicit scam center along the Myanmar border this week and handed over to Thailand, following a series of crackdowns on the illegal operations. (AFP/-)
T
he Foreign Ministry is currently planning to rescue another batch of Indonesians trapped in Myanmar’s rebel-controlled Myawaddy region, where online scam rings operate, after successfully repatriating a total of 130 human trafficking victims in the past few weeks.
The ministry’s citizen protection director Judha Nugraha revealed that the next mission, the details of which remain undisclosed for the time being, sought to rescue hundreds more from the area.
“Please pray for us, we are about to repatriate 359 more victims soon. Hopefully [the mission] goes smoothly and safely,” Judha said on Sunday.
Indonesia is among several Southeast Asian countries experiencing a surge in transnational human trafficking cases since the COVID-19 pandemic, when organized crime rings began expanding to the region and targeting millions who were economically vulnerable and were seeking employment opportunities.
Cambodia, the Philippines and Myanmar have become popular hotspots for trafficking victims, where crime organizations – mostly run by China-based criminals –hold thousands of victims hostage to coerce them into performing scams.
Read also: Myanmar hands over 84 Indonesian alleged scammers to Thailand
Since 2021, Indonesia has conducted multiple rescue efforts from these scam centers, working with authorities in destination countries to repatriate its citizens.
