Dien Bien: Eleven Vietnamese citizens have been repatriated from Laos after falling victim to human trafficking and economic hardships. They were handed over to the Dien Bien provincial border guards at the Tay Trang international border gate by the Security Department of Bokeo province in Laos. The group consisted of individuals who either faced unstable job conditions or were ensnared by traffickers in Myanmar.
According to Lao News Agency, three of the returnees had initially traveled to Laos seeking employment but encountered unstable income sources and expired residence permits. These circumstances led them to seek assistance from Lao authorities to facilitate their return to Vietnam.
The remaining eight individuals were deceived via social media or persuaded by acquaintances to travel to Myanmar with promises of lucrative job opportunities. Upon arrival, their phones and personal documents were confiscated by traffickers, and they were coerced into participating in online gambling operations and scam-based sales. The victims were subjected to daily work quotas, with failure to meet them resulting in physical abuse, fines, and deprivation of food.
Fearing for their safety, these individuals managed to escape to Laos, where they reached out to local authorities for assistance in returning to Vietnam. Among the group, one citizen from Bac Lieu was rescued during a joint operation by the Drug and Crime Prevention and Control Department under the Border Guard High Command and the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation during a raid on an online gambling operation in Myanmar.
The Tay Trang international border guard station had previously initiated a criminal investigation into an illegal human trafficking ring operating across the border, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat such activities.