China issues warning after jobseekers kidnapped, forced into prostitution in Myanmar
- People are being forced to work for criminal gangs or face the consequences after being lured by fraudulent job offers, foreign ministry says
- Citizens are reminded ‘to be vigilant, go out to work [only] through formal and legal labour agencies, and not trust recruitment information’, it says
Many Chinese citizens had been hoodwinked by recruitment advertisements into thinking they were going to Myanmar to work for legitimate companies, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday. But on their arrival they were “forced to engage in illegal and criminal activities such as telecom fraud and gambling”.
Those who failed to comply with the demands of their so-called employers found themselves being severely punished, it said.
“[China’s] public security organs have received reports of many criminal cases of Chinese citizens being fooled into going to the northern region of Myanmar and then being kidnapped, illegally detained, extorted and forced into prostitution,” the statement said.
As a result, “the Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security remind Chinese citizens to be vigilant, go out to work [only] through formal and legal labour agencies, and not trust recruitment information”, it said.
Northern Myanmar, especially towns like Laukkai, the capital of Kokang in Shan state, has become a hotbed for casinos, online fraud operations and prostitution, much of it targeted at Chinese locals and visitors.