The Thai army on Thursday said the country has received no fewer than 260 human trafficking victims from Myanmar in a massive repatriation that comes after a mounting crackdown on scam centres operating along a porous border.
The army said this in a statement, adding that more than half of the victims are Ethiopians.
According to the United Nations, criminal gangs have trafficked hundreds of thousands of people and forced them to work in illegal online operations generating billions annually across Southeast Asia, especially along the Thai-Myanmar border.
The Thai army added that after screening the group and verifying their nationalities, it was found that there were 20 nationalities with 138 comprising Ethiopians.
DAILY POST reports that although the illegal operations have been in place for years, Thai authorities renewed efforts last month after Chinese actor Wang Xing was abducted in Thailand, lured on the promise of an acting job.
The Chinese actor was said to have been later released by Thai police who found him in Myanmar.
It was gathered that on Wednesday, a large group of trafficking victims who were sent back from Myanmar’s Myawaddy area were seen crossing the Moei River to Thailand, where they were directed onto Thai military vehicles as soldiers looked on.
Human trafficking: Thailand receives 260 victims from Myanmar
