800 Indians held hostage in the ‘Golden Triangle’; 25 young men from Maharashtra among them

• ‘Civil Society Network for Human Trafficking Victim Assistance’ organisation's findings

• Victims lured with false promises of employment

New Delhi – An estimated 5,300 people from various countries are being held hostage in cyber scam compounds operating in the notorious ‘Golden Triangle’ region along the Thailand–Myanmar border. Among them are an estimated 800 Indian nationals, including at least 25 young men from Maharashtra. It has come to light that they were lured there with promises of well-paying jobs in Bangkok.

According to information provided by the Civil Society Network for Human Trafficking Victim Assistance, the 5,300 hostages include 1,600 Chinese nationals, 200 Myanmar nationals, 20 Thai nationals, as well as citizens of the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brazil, Russia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Zimbabwe.

Efforts are underway by the Union Government and the Maharashtra Government to secure the hostages’ release

The Union Government and the Maharashtra Government have initiated efforts to secure the release of these young men. Coordination is underway with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Bangkok. Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan, MP Ashok Chavan and former Minister Dhananjay Munde have also taken the initiative in this matter.

According to United Nations estimates, more than 1 lakh people are being forced to work in such centres in Myanmar. Over the past one-and-a-half to two years, India has rescued more than 2,400 Indian nationals from such centres.

What is the ‘Golden Triangle’?

The ‘Golden Triangle’ is the region where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet. The area was once notorious worldwide for the production and smuggling of opium and other narcotic drugs. In recent years, it has become a major hub for human trafficking, online financial fraud (cyber scams), illegal call centres and organised armed criminal networks. Foreign young people are lured there with promises of employment and are then forced to carry out cyber fraud. Those who resist are reportedly beaten, subjected to electric shocks and threatened at gunpoint.