At least 23 Kenyans are among hundreds of foreigners who have been rescued from scam centres in Myanmar following an intervention by an ethnic armed group.
According to the BBC, over 250 foreigners, mostly Asians and Africans were this week transported to Thailand after months of being held captive by criminal groups in Myanmar.
The individuals, who had travelled to Myanmar in search of job opportunities, were received in Thailand on Thursday, February 13, by the country’s military officers and assessed to determine whether they were victims of human trafficking.
Reports indicate that criminal gangs in Myanmar often lure foreigners with promises of well-paying jobs, tricking them into believing they will receive lighter work compared to what is offered in other countries.
In most cases, the criminals target English- or Chinese-speaking individuals, whom they later force into activities such as crypto fraud, money laundering, and illegal gambling.
While some comply with conducting the fraud, those who refuse to participate in the scams are often subjected to harrowing experiences, including having ransom demanded from their families.
Despite calls for intervention by the Myanmar government, the country’s administration failed to undertake any meaningful rescue operations for those trapped inside the scam compounds.
Those rescued from the scam compounds in Myanmar included 138 Ethiopians, 23 Kenyans, 16 Filipinos, 15 Malaysians, 10 Chinese, 6 Ugandans, 2 Brazilians, 2 Burundians, 1 Nigerian, and 1 Tanzanian.
The rescue operation followed a meeting between Thailand’s Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where they discussed measures to eliminate scam centres in Myanmar.
This development comes amidst several warnings by the Kenyan Embassy in Thailand, urging Kenyans to avoid travelling to Myanmar due to alleged cases of human trafficking and mistreatment.
In October last year, the Kenyan Embassy issued a notice warning those planning to travel to Myanmar after several Kenyans were captured and held hostage in the Asian country.
Despite efforts by the Kenyan government to secure the release of ten citizens, cartels in Myanmar demanded ransom, claiming that they had "bought" the Kenyans as slaves for Ksh 820,000.
