Laos: Alleged trafficked victims forced to work up to 17 hours in scam compounds in SEZ with at least two being recruited from Africa to Laos via Telegram; cos. non-response
Online scam operations continue to flourish inside the notorious Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in the borderlands of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, where Kings Romans Casino is allegedly to be a hub for criminal activity by the United States Treasury Department. In a recent account, a man lured into a compound in the SEZ from Dubai, exemplifies how social media apps and digital platforms act as indispensable tool to syndicates, enabling them to cast a wide to lure vulnerable job seekers to compounds from all across the globe with false job offers. Notably, the man admitted that while he was the victim of forced criminality under false pretense, he received his promised $1,200 salary—as did others he worked alongside—potentially signaling a shifting trend in recruitment tactics by those running compounds.
Another alleged victim from Uganda was also recruited via Telegram messaging app about a work opportunity and she ended up working in a scam compound in Laos. This, concerningly, also leads to authorities failing to identify the trafficked individuals as victims due to the appearance of consent or compensation. Overall, amid the rise of emerging technologies and fintech, and the rampant regional corruption that fuels these operations, failure to respond to this global security threat that transcends all borders at what is now a critical inflection point will have unprecedented consequences.
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Telegram and Kings Romans Casino to respond to the allegations but they did not.