Tragic case of cross-border fraud spurs joint action

The public has been closely following the case of a young man lured to Southeast Asia by telecom fraud gangs in Southeast Asia. His family, unable to reach him, decided to ask the authorities for help, leading to a prolonged rescue effort that is still ongoing.

The man's girlfriend who asked to be referred to with her surname Yang, told local media he is believed to be in Myawaddy township of Myanmar, where many gangs are based. Like many who are coaxed into criminal activity, "Zhang Shi" was enticed by promises of a big payday.

Zhang, 34, was working as a researcher at a botanical park under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2022. He told his girlfriend he had found a high-paying job in Southeast Asia as a translator via an agency, and would take the opportunity there so he could save to pay off his debt and marry her.

He first arrived in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, and was taken to the Thailand-Myanmar border. On Aug 16, 2022, he crossed the border and arrived at Myawaddy.

Yang said she received a message from Zhang saying he didn't want to go to Myanmar because it wasn't safe, but he no longer had a choice.

Zhang's cellphone was taken away, so Yang could only reach him by contacting a middleman. He was made to bring foreigners to an industrial park to defraud them, and had has signed a one-year contract.

Zhang couldn't leave the industrial park because there were armed guards but was able to call her most weeks, Yang said.

The family began to worry when Zhang asked his sister for 120,000 yuan ($16,480) as ransom at the end of May because his job performance had been deemed unsatisfactory. Even though he has to work 18 hours a day under surveillance, he said there was still no hope of meeting his captors' targets.

Zhang's sisters then contacted the local police, who said they will look into the case and asked them not to pay the ransom. They then informed the Chinese embassy in Myanmar.

The family, desperate, ignored police instructions and chose to pay up. However, the payment failed to go through and the family has not heard from Zhang since.

Cases like Zhang's have prompted swift action. Last week, law enforcement agencies from China, Thailand, Myanmar and Laos started a coordinated operation to combat gambling fraud syndicates, a significant step in curbing cross-border criminal activities.

The joint effort, which kicked off after a meeting held on Tuesday and Wednesday, involved the Ministry of Public Security of China, Thai police headquarters, Myanmar police headquarters and the Lao Ministry of Public Security.

With a focus on eradicating gambling fraud and crimes such as human trafficking, kidnapping and illegal detention, the operation is centered in Chiang Mai, Thailand.