The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has successfully repatriated three Filipino men who fell victim to a human trafficking ring in Myanmar. These brave survivors, all in their 20s and early 30s, have been reunited with their families and loved ones in the Philippines.
Recruited through Facebook with the promise of lucrative jobs as call center agents in Thailand, their journey took a sinister turn. Instead of their intended careers, they found themselves transported to Mae Sot, Thailand, and subsequently taken forcibly across the border to Myanmar by boat.
Upon their arrival in Myanmar, the victims were coerced into becoming “love scammers,” a nefarious operation targeting unsuspecting Americans and Europeans. These scammers were manipulated into investing in fraudulent cryptocurrency accounts. The victims faced an abusive environment where they were forced to meet weekly quotas under the threat of physical punishment, including grueling exercises like push-ups and jump squats.
Their ordeal also involved extremely long workdays, lasting between 16 to 18 hours with no breaks or days off. While the victims were permitted to use their mobile phones, they were closely monitored by their employers.
Only after paying an exorbitant sum, approximately Php 90,000, were they allowed to return home to the Philippines.
