Sri Lankans at risk in Southeast Asia trafficking

The National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (NAHTTF) issues an urgent public warning in light of alarming information on a new wave of human trafficking activities targeting Sri Lankan nationals, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defence.

Reportedly, organised trafficking syndicates operating cyber scam centres in South East Asia without effective government regulations have launched a large-scale recruitment drive.

Information revealed these networks are attempting to lure and transport over 50,000 individuals to these scam compounds, from all countries, and Sri Lankans are among the primary targets.

As per the information received, five new scam centres are reportedly being set up in remote areas. Drawing on recent information and established patterns of exploitation, traffickers are using misleading online advertisements and fraudulent job offers to attract job seekers. These operations remain highly active, with several Sri Lankans confirmed to have been trafficked to these locations in the past few weeks.

In addition, NAHTTF notes that several victims had been attracted and initially recruited to these scam centres while working in Dubai. The rest of the Sri Lankans, among them, have been directly recruited from Sri Lanka through the tactic of using fake job advertisements on social media platforms.

Victims rescued from these scam centres reveal harrowing experiences of torture, including electric shocks, raising serious concerns for the safety and well-being of those trapped at present.

NAHTTF urges the public to exercise extreme vigilance when responding to online job advertisements in South East Asia, especially in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, and follow the legitimate procedures to go safely abroad for employment purposes through registration with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).