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Sammy Heung

Six more Hongkongers held captive at one of Southeast Asia’s notorious scam farms have been freed in a rescue mission.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Friday that the three men and three women, aged 29 to 44, were rescued in a joint operation with Thailand.
The Security Bureau said five of them were expected to arrive on Friday night. One of them would stay behind to help the police investigation as a witness accompanied by a member of the bureau’s task force and return on Saturday.
“They had been illegally detained for five to seven months,” Tang said at Hong Kong airport after returning from Thailand on Friday afternoon.
“After being rescued from the scam farm, they were sent from the Myanmar military to the Mae Sot area in Thailand in the early morning.
“Under the coordination of the Thai authorities and our country’s consulate, our dedicated task force accompanied them to Bangkok, and will return to Hong Kong with them. We expect them to arrive in Hong Kong at 10pm.”
Mae Sot is just across the border from Myanmar. Tang said he had coordinated the rescue operation with Thailand’s Ministry of Defence and police force on Thursday to ensure the safety of the Hongkongers.

No ransom was paid in the rescue operation.
“We had the chance to talk to the six Hongkongers through a video call where we understood that they were currently safe and in good health,” Tang said.
“They expressed gratitude to all the people and units who participated in the rescue operation. They wished to reunite with their families later [on Friday].”
Tang had been scheduled to attend a public event at Ngong Ping on Thursday but did not appear, citing other official business. Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk Hau-yip attended in his place.
In January, Cheuk led a six-member task force comprising Security Bureau, police and Immigration Department officials to meet Thai authorities in Bangkok about Hongkongers who had been ensnared by forced-labour scams, which often saw victims trafficked to neighbouring Myanmar.
Following the trip, the task force established a direct line of communication with Thai authorities to exchange information and follow up on the remaining cases of trapped residents.


Tang said since the second quarter of last year, 28 Hongkongers had been tricked into going to Southeast Asia to conduct illegal work.
“Including these six people, 25 people have returned to Hong Kong,” he said.
“Three people have not returned to Hong Kong. We will make our best efforts to rescue them.”
Tang said he could not reveal further details of the rescue process to prevent future operations from being affected.
He said the victims were lured to the scam hubs after seeing online adverts claiming to offer opportunities to earn quick money.
A family member of one of the victims arrived at the airport after hearing about the rescue.
“I am very excited and happy after waiting for this moment for so long. I thank the central government and the Hong Kong government for rescuing our family member successfully,” the woman, named Amy, said.
“We hope to see our family member as soon as possible. I hope the government can help take care of the victims’ mental health since they have stayed there for so long and may have been poorly treated.”
Former district councillor Andy Yu Tak-po, who has been helping the families of victims trafficked to Southeast Asia, said he had received seven requests for help from family members, with victims detained for four to seven months. Six of them had been rescued, he added.
Family members of the remaining victim hoped the government could continue to offer help, he said.
Yu said he was alerted about a new case on Thursday, which was still being verified. “The family member claimed to have lost contact with the person who was in Myanmar,” he said.
“If confirmed, we will hand the information to the Security Bureau and police to follow up.”


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6 scam farm captives to return to Hong Kong after rescue

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Crime in Hong Kong

A task force member (left) with one of the rescued Hong Kong residents. Photo: Handout

Secretary for Security Chris Tang holds a briefing at the airport after returning from Thailand. Photo: Nora Tam

Scam farm victim returns to Hong Kong, as officials vow to help 9 others

Hong Kong officials meet the victim (right) in Bangkok on Tuesday morning.  Photo: Handout

Hongkonger rescued from Myanmar scam farm, as authorities vow swift return home

Thailand’s army and police conducted the rescue operation. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong authorities urged to provide clear answer on rescue of scam farm victims

A Hong Kong resident recently rescued from a scam farm in Myanmar talks with immigration officials in Bangkok. Photo: Handout

Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk Hau-yip (right) led a task force that met representatives of Thailand’s police in Bangkok earlier this month. Photo: Sam Tsang

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Security chief Chris Tang says three men and three women, aged 29 to 44, had been illegally detained for five to seven months


Security chief Chris Tang says three men and three women, aged 29 to 44, had been illegally detained for five to seven months.


Scams and swindles

Southeast Asia forced-labour scams

Myanmar

Thailand