Mae Sot Security Forces Rescue 39 Victims of Call Center Scam in Myanmar.

Mae Sot: Security forces in Mae Sot have successfully rescued 39 individuals, mostly Sri Lankans, who were lured into working for a Chinese call center gang in Myanmar. The group had fled across the border, seeking assistance after being tricked into forced labor. According to Thai News Agency, Colonel Natthakorn Ruenthip, Commander of the Rajamanu Task Force, led a rapid response unit comprising the Naresuan Task Force, Tak Immigration Police, 346th Border Patrol Police, Mae Sot Police Station, and Mae Sot District Administration. The joint task force patrolled the Thai-Myanmar border and found the group near Don Chai Village in Mae Tao Subdistrict, Tak Province. Among the rescued were 32 Sri Lankans, five Nepalese, one Malaysian, and one Russian. The group had crossed the Moei River from Myawaddy Province into Thailand through a natural passage, and upon seeing the officers, they expressed relief and joy. Investigations revealed that the victims were deceived by human trafficking gangs into traveling to t he Taichang project area in Myawaddy, Myanmar, where they were forced into labor by a Chinese mafia group operating a call center. The project is near Ban Chong Khaep in Tak Province, Thailand. The Sri Lankan victims managed to send distress messages, which led to their eventual escape and rescue. The Taichang project in Myanmar has been identified as a hub for call center operations, posing a global cyber threat. The successful rescue was made possible through intelligence coordination between the Sri Lankan Embassy and security forces in Thailand's border regions. Following the rescue, officials transported the victims using military vehicles to a safe location and provided necessary assistance. They have been handed over to the Tak Immigration Police, who will proceed according to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) to ensure their safety and well-being.