Thai army rescues 12 Moroccans from call-centre gangs in Myanmar

BANGKOK: Twelve Morrocco nationals, who had been offered jobs in Myanmar’s casinos but ended up working for call-centre gangs in the border town of Myawaddy were brought to Thailand on Friday (July 5) via the Tak border checkpoint.

The operation was conducted in collaboration between the Royal Thai Army (RTA) and the Embassy of Morocco, which had contacted Move Forward MP Rangsiman Rome in May to help rescue 21 Moroccans believed to be stuck in Myanmar.

Rangsiman chairs a House committee on security and border affairs.

The Army said it coordinated with local NGOs and humanitarian agencies to identify the victims and their living conditions and negotiated their release with the casino owner.

After interviewing the victims, officials found that 21 of them had been scammed by a call centre gang in Morocco. Of them, seven were released when their families paid off the gang, while two of the victims decided to continue working there.

Thanking the army for its efforts on Friday, Rangsiman reminded the authorities that there are still many Thais and foreigners who have been scammed into working under slave-like conditions in the neighbouring country.

“It’s time for the government to take this problem seriously. [Rescuing them] should be made part of the national agenda,” said Rangsiman, a party-list MP from the opposition Move Forward Party.

“Measures should be implemented to protect people from being deceived by these scamming gangs,” he said.

“The issue here is not just human trafficking, but also stealing victims’ properties, violating their rights and other illegal work.” - The Nation/ANN