Thai government urged to combat human trafficking linked to Chinese mafia – ThePrint – ANIFeed

Bangkok (Thailand), October 28 (ANI): An advocacy group has called on the Thai government to urgently intervene to secure the release of more than 100 human trafficking victims, mainly from Laos, who are allegedly held captive by a ‘ Chinese mafia syndicate’. in Kayin State in Myanmar.

According to a report by Radio Free Asia, the Thailand-based Civil Society Network for Assistance to Victims of Human Trafficking issued an open letter to Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra detailing the plight of these victims. , many of which are trapped in areas controlled by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and Border Guard Force (BGF).

According to the group, approximately 110 people from nine countries, including 19 from Laos, are trapped in a web of exploitation facilitated by these armed groups, which have established a significant presence near the Thai border town of Mae Sot.

The DKBA, a breakaway faction from the Myanmar Karen National Union, and the BGF, formed under the control of the junta, have created a thriving ecosystem of illicit businesses, including casinos and online scam operations.

The letter emphasized that DKBA and BGF are not just passive actors but actively profit from human trafficking, as the Chinese mafia syndicate uses Mae Sot district as a critical transit hub for trafficking victims.

These groups exploit the geographical advantage of the shared border along the Moei River to lure vulnerable people from various countries into dangerous situations in Myanmar.

Human trafficking in Thailand, particularly linked to Chinese mafia networks, represents a critical problem characterized by the exploitation of vulnerable populations, especially immigrants from countries such as Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.

Many victims are deceived with false promises of employment and better living conditions and ultimately become trapped in forced labor or the sex trade.

A 2020 report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime highlights that organized crime groups, including Chinese triads, have established intricate operations in Thailand, using complex networks spanning smuggling routes and fraudulent recruitment practices. .

Additionally, the US State Department’s 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report notes that corruption within law enforcement complicates efforts to combat trafficking, and that some officials potentially collude with traffickers, undermining thus the anti-trafficking initiatives.

This multifaceted problem requires urgent attention and coordinated responses to protect vulnerable people and dismantle these criminal networks. (ANI)

This report is automatically generated from the ANI news service. ThePrint assumes no responsibility for its content.