Thai police rescued two Japanese men after they were allegedly trafficked to a scam compound in Myanmar.
The two men were forced to defraud elderly victims in Japan.
Aged 20 and 21, the victims had reportedly been recruited online with promises of free airfare, accommodation, and well-paid work in Thailand.
According to Thai police, the pair arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport on 10 Sept and stayed overnight near the airport.
They were driven to Sangkhla Buri district in Kanchanaburi, where they stayed briefly at a resort before being taken through an unofficial border crossing.
After entering Payathonzu in Myanmar, they were allegedly brought to a scam compound guarded by armed men.
Source: Sondhi
There, the pair were forced to make hundreds of calls a day to elderly people in Japan while posing as government officials, police officers, and prosecutors.
The victims received no pay and had their phones confiscated.
They were also allegedly told that they would have to pay a ransom if they wanted to leave.
During their confinement, the students reportedly managed to send distress messages containing their location to their families and Japanese authorities.
Source: Sondhi
Thai police were alerted on 28 Sept and coordinated with local security personnel and groups across the border to secure their release.
At around 3pm on 30 Sept, officers received the pair at a border point before taking them to Sangkhla Buri Police Station.
Source: Sondhi
Both later underwent screening and were identified as victims of human trafficking.
According to the victims, they attempted to pull out of the arrangement after growing suspicious of the job.
However, they were allegedly threatened with death and warned not to tell their families or anyone else.
While in Thailand, they were transferred between several vehicles to avoid official checkpoints before being smuggled into Myanmar.
The students told police that the compound may have housed between 2,000 and 3,000 workers.
The syndicate allegedly targeted victims from several countries, including Japan, China, and the United States.
On 2 Oct, Thai police and representatives from the Embassy of Japan inspected suspected smuggling routes near the border as investigations widened.
Source: Thansettakij
Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelabut (name transliterated from Thai) said police are working to identify those involved in the trafficking network.
He also warned travellers to be cautious of job advertisements offering unusually high salaries, especially when recruiters offer to pay for flights and accommodation.
Also read: Chinese student lured into scam gets freed after gang boss says he has ‘bright future’
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Featured image adapted by Sondhi.