Trafficking in Laos
Marking World Day Against Trafficking in Persons last week, RFA Lao Service spoke with the parents of several young victims of human trafficking. The parents pushed for better cooperation between government officials and state-run media outlets in order to raise awareness.? Southeast Asia is home to vast networks of human trafficking that claim over 150,000 victims a year, and Laos is among several countries where young persons continue to fall victim. Just last month, RFA reported that Lao and Chinese police arrested and deported 280 Chinese who allegedly worked in online fraud scams in northern Laos. In covert compounds operated by criminal gangs, trafficked workers are forced to perform cyber fraud, in particular, “pig butchering,” an issue of increasing global concern - often with ties to corrupt officials and governments. This connection was among the topics at the recent annual International Anti-Corruption Conference, at which RFA's Investigative Unit's chief discussed its implications in Southeast Asia. In Laos, government officials tell RFA the country just doesn’t have enough money to investigate each human trafficking case, and a greater understanding of the risks may not guarantee improvements.
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