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Crime in Hong Kong
Hong KongLaw and Crime

Myanmar’s ‘complex situation’ biggest hurdle to helping trapped Hongkongers

Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk also says ‘areas that the Myanmese government can control are relatively small’, amid country’s civil war

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Eight Hongkongers currently remained trapped at scam farms in Myanmar, according to the city government. Photo: Shutterstock
Lo Hoi-ying
Myanmar’s “complex situation” around its border poses the biggest challenge to Hong Kong authorities’ efforts to rescue residents tricked into working at scam farms in the country, a security official has said.

Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk Hau-yip also said on Wednesday that between 2023 and January this year, law enforcement authorities received 28 calls for help from Hong Kong residents trapped in Southeast Asia.

Nineteen had returned to Hong Kong, eight remained trapped in Myanmar and another was in Cambodia.

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“In our previous cases, since the victims were trapped in Myanmar and Cambodia, we requested assistance from the local enforcement agencies through Interpol, as well as the Chinese embassies in those countries,” he told a Legislative Council meeting.

“We did not contact Thailand at that time as the victims were not located there. But as the situation developed, we reached out to Thai authorities and received a positive response from them; therefore, we are currently working with Thailand in this regard.”

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In response to a question from lawmaker Eunice Yung Hoi-yan, Cheuk said Myanmar’s “complex situation” posed the biggest challenge to efforts to rescue the remaining Hongkongers.

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