Chinese actor Wang Xing has been found and returned from Myanmar to mainland China, after he was reported missing on January 3. - Photo: Facebook/SCMP
HONG KONG (SCMP): Hong Kong’s Security Bureau is sending a task force to Thailand on Sunday to follow up on cases involving residents being lured to Southeast Asian countries and forced to do illegal work.
The situation returned to the spotlight after mainland actor Wang Xing was kidnapped along the Thai-Myanmarese border, prompting a joint rescue effort involving Chinese authorities.
The Security Bureau said on Sunday that law enforcement earlier received 28 requests for help from Hong Kong residents believed to have been trapped in Southeast Asian countries and unable to leave since the second quarter of 2024. Sixteen individuals had been returned to the city so far.
Among the remaining 12 cases, individuals had reported restrictions to their freedom of movement, but said they remained safe and able to communicate with their families or the task force.
Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk Hau-yip will lead the 11-strong task force. The group will fly to Bangkok at 8.25pm on a flight operated by Cathay Pacific Airways.
Former district councillor Andy Yu Tak-po, who has helped family members of kidnapped Hong Kong residents, told the Post he had received seven pleas for assistance and was concerned about a recent change in the modus operandi of scam syndicates.
This action follows reports from the SB that law enforcement agencies received a total of 28 requests for assistance concerning residents who were illegally trafficked to work in Southeast Asian countries.
Of these cases, 16 victims have returned to Hong Kong, while the remaining 12 cases reported restrictions on their movement but are safe and able to be contacted.
The Security Bureau is leading a dedicated task force, with members from Police and the Immigration Department to Thailand to investigate reports of Hong Kong residents being forced to work. - File Photo: RTHK / Global Times
The task force will consist of six members, including two each from the Hong Kong Police Force and the Immigration Department, led by an SB official.
During their stay in Thailand, the task force will engage with officials from the Chinese Embassy in the Kingdom of Thailand, representatives of the Thai Ministry of Justice who are part of the Anti-Trafficking-in-Persons Committee chaired by the Prime Minister of Thailand, and other Thai authorities.
The meetings will focus on discussing the cases of affected residents, exchanging intelligence, and requesting further assistance.
The group also has a hectic schedule in the days ahead. Apart from meeting with officials from the Chinese embassy in Bangkok, they will also talk to Ministry of Justice representatives on an anti-human trafficking committee chaired by the Thai prime minister.
The SAR officials will also exchange intelligence with their Thai counterparts, and request the relevant authorities to assist in rescuing those seeking assistance.
The Security Bureau said it attaches great importance to such cases, pointing to the establishment of the dedicated task force in August 2022.
It noted a resurgence of these cases since the second quarter of last year.
"To date, law enforcement agencies received a total of 28 requests for assistance in relation to Hong Kong residents alleging to be detained in Southeast Asian countries and unable to leave," a statement read.
"Among them, 16 have already returned to Hong Kong. The remaining 12 cases reported restrictions on their movement but were still safe and able to contact their families or the task force."
In response to media enquiries, the bureau revealed on Saturday it had recently received an assistance request from the family of an SAR resident.
The woman, in her twenties, was reportedly detained in a Southeast Asian country.
It said the case had since been taken up by the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong, and the local Chinese Embassy.
The relevant parities provided advice and all feasible help based on the family’s wishes, and it is understood the woman has returned to the SAR.
The Security Bureau called on the public to be vigilant against online job advertisements which are too good to be true - either those which claim to offer quick money, or highly-paid positions which do not require any work experience or academic qualification. - Agencies
