A former Chinese soldier claims to have escaped from a scam centre in Myanmar by masking his own scent from tracking dogs using cow dung as he made his way across the border.
He recalled the story on social media after he had safely returned to China.
According to the South China Morning Post, Yang Lei, a tour guide in his 30s, was first captured in mid-March after leading a group of 10 on a hike near the Thai-Myanmar border.
On 6 March, Mr Yang hired a local guide to assist with the trip.
However, the guide, lacking a legal residence permit, led the group astray to avoid border control.
They ended up in the hands of individuals linked to a local scam centre, where they were captured and sold into forced labour.
Each of the 11 individuals was reportedly sold to the scam centre for 20,000 USDT (S$25,400), a cryptocurrency pegged to the US dollar.
Source: South China Morning Post
Once inside the centre, Yang and the others were allegedly subjected to physical abuse as punishment.
However, Yang’s military background earned him special treatment when he beat the local guide on their first night. This act of defiance earned him privileges, including access to a mobile phone.
On 17 March, Yang seized the opportunity, escaping in the middle of the night when the guards’ patrols were lax.
Using his military training, he scaled a wall to break free. Once his absence was discovered, the captors sent tracking dogs after him.
Realising the dogs would quickly pick up his scent, Yang covered himself with cow dung he found in a nearby field. This move helped him evade the hounds as he continued his escape.
Yang then made his way to the border, where he subdued an armed guard using a straw rope he had found nearby.
After crossing the border, he remained cautious, travelling by night and hiding by day. He stayed in contact with Chinese authorities through the mobile phone he had been given.
After reaching the Chinese embassy, Yang was finally able to relax, though his phone only had 17% battery remaining.
He spent a month awaiting the re-issue of his passport before finally making his way home to China.
Yang’s remarkable escape from the scam centre has captured widespread attention, with his resourcefulness and military training proving vital in his harrowing journey to freedom.
Also read: 239 scammers & money mules probed after S’pore-wide operation, victims lost over S$8.9M
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Featured image adapted from South China Morning Post and Dick Luria on Canva. Right image is for illustration purposes only.