Thai police aid 260 trafficked victims from Myanmar call centre
Today, February 17, at the Technology Crime Suppression Division headquarters, Police Lieutenant General Trirong Phewpan, head of the division, addressed the return of 260 people from Myawaddy, Myanmar, who had been coerced into working for a call centre syndicate. Only two to three of them had willingly taken the job.
The operation involved 50 cyber police officers collaborating with local police to gather evidence against the call centre gang. The investigation focused on the group’s criminal activities and involved collecting data from the mobile phones and electronic devices of the 260 people.
A detailed examination through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) highlighted that many of these people were victims of human trafficking, contradicting earlier reports which indicated that only one person was deceived. This discrepancy arose from differing initial reports and newly gathered phone data, prompting an apology from the cyber police for the initial error.
The evidence collected included 107 International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers and data from 35 phones belonging to those who returned to Thailand. These will be meticulously analysed to identify patterns of deception and gather evidence to potentially prosecute the call centre syndicate and associates for further offences.
Regardless of the nationality of the victims or the nature of their recruitment, if the call centre syndicate is deemed to be a transnational crime organisation, legal action will be pursued.
Regarding the NRM screening process, Pol. Lt. Gen. Trirong mentioned that immigration officers and local police in Tak province would handle the proceedings, while cyber police continue to expand the investigation.
According to immigration laws, victims will be exempt from certain charges, whereas those who willingly participated will face legal action. There are also suspicions about whether any Thai people assisted the syndicate, reported KhaoSod.
Further investigation and evidence collection will determine if any actions violated Thai law, potentially categorising them as part of a transnational crime network.
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