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SCMP Editorial

Regional cooperation is key to combating the rapid growth of phone fraud and organised cross-border crime. Evidence of that includes the recent rescue of six Hongkongers from a forced-labour scam farm in Myanmar.
Twenty-five of 28 Hongkongers detained in Southeast Asian countries in scams since 2024 have now been released.
These and other rescues are testament to the joint efforts of government officials and police from the mainland, Thailand and Myanmar, as well as Hong Kong, in freeing detainees.
The Security Bureau has pledged to save the three Hong Kong residents still on its case list as soon as possible.
In January, local authorities set up a six-member task force of security, police and immigration officials, with a direct line of communication to Thai authorities in Bangkok.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung flew to Thailand to help coordinate rescue work, announcing last week that the latest group of six had been freed.
The victims of these scams are typically trafficked to neighbouring Myanmar for illegal forced work, such as scamming more victims.
They were lured by promises of well-rewarded work which, in hindsight, seemed too good to be true, but were attractive at the time to people with limited means of support.
The latest rescue prompted authorities in Beijing to call for the city and the mainland to work together to tackle cross-border scams. Cooperative diplomatic and security efforts among regional nations, particularly Myanmar and Thailand, had already yielded results.
In its work report to the just concluded annual legislative session, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) said it had worked with the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) to formulate guidelines on handling cross-border telecoms fraud crimes such as e-commerce, job and investment scams.
The SPP said 78,000 people were prosecuted in 2024, a rise of 53.9 per cent on 2023. The SPC said courts nationwide concluded 40,000 telecoms fraud cases, up 26.7 per cent year on year.
That said, it is still not quite “mission accomplished” for Hong Kong, which should continue joint efforts to rescue the remaining detainees and combat the scammers, including an effective public education campaign to alert the vulnerable to the risks.


Raise alert on risk of Asian cross-border scams

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China

The last of the six Hong Kong residents rescued from a scam farm in Myanmar have been returned to the city. Photo: Facebook/Security Bureau

Last of 6 Hongkongers recently freed from scam farm in Myanmar returns home

Five of the latest batch of Hongkongers to be freed returned home on Friday. Photo: Facebook/Security Bureau

6 scam farm captives to return to Hong Kong after rescue

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

After power cuts to Myanmar scam farms, Malaysians ask for more to be done to get family home

A view of Kyauk Khet in Myanmar’s Kayin state is seen from Thailand’s Phop Phra district in Tak province along the Thai-Myanmar border on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Alleged victims of scam centres board a boat to cross the river on the Myanmar-Thai border to be met by Thai Army soldiers as they are repatriated from Kyauk Khet in Myawaddy in Myanmar’s Kayin state on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

A view of Shwe Kokko town in Myanmar’s Myawaddy district in Kayin state is seen from Thailand’s Mae Sot district in Tak province on Tuesday. Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos have become major hubs for online scam operations. Photo: AFP

China and Thailand join forces to tackle multibillion-dollar scam crisis in Myanmar

A man escorted by Thai soldiers ahead of flight to China. Photo: Khu Sam

Thai soldiers at Mae Sot airport ahead of transfer of alleged Chinese scam workers on February 20 to charter flight to China. Photo: Khu Sam

Saw Chit Thu, leader of the Karen Border Guard Force, speaks to reporters in Myawaddy, Myanmar, on February 17, 2025. Photo: Kyodo

More Chinese scam workers repatriated via Thailand as crackdown on fraud centres continues

People from China, Vietnam, Ethiopia and other countries believed to have been trafficked and trapped into working in online scam centres, after they were rescued in Myawaddy district in eastern Myanmar, on February 26. Photo: AP

About 200 Chinese citizens suspected of involvement in fraud return to China under the escort of Chinese police on February 20 after being repatriated from Myawaddy in Myanmar. Photo: EPA-EFE/Xinhua

People ride their motorbike past a restaurant and a cafe in Shwe Kokko in Myanmar’s eastern Myawaddy township on February 23. Photo: AFP

Opinion

Regional cooperation has been key to securing the release of 25 out of 28 Hongkongers detained in Southeast Asian fraud farms


Regional cooperation has been key to securing the release of 25 out of 28 Hongkongers detained in Southeast Asian fraud farms.


Thailand

Bangkok

Hong Kong

Myanmar

Scams and swindles

Crime

Human trafficking

Diplomacy

Travel Safety

Chinese overseas

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Column

Editorial

Editorial | Raise alert on risk of Asian cross-border scams

Regional cooperation has been key to securing the release of 25 out of 28 Hongkongers detained in Southeast Asian fraud farms