Thai-Myanmar Cyber Mafia Enslaves Sri Lankan Job Seekers

COLOMBO (News 1st); Chilling accounts of forced labor, physical abuse, and illegal detention have emerged from Sri Lankans trapped in a cybercrime ring operating near the Thai-Myanmar border.

Families back home desperately seek their loved ones' release, raising concerns about human trafficking and Sri Lanka's diplomatic efforts to secure their freedom.

Concerns are mounting over the fate of more than 50 Sri Lankan youths reportedly being held in a Myanmar border region known as the "Cyber Criminal Area" on Google Maps

These individuals, lured by promises of lucrative employment in Thailand's IT field, have found themselves in a potentially precarious situation.

Fifty-six Sri Lankan citizens, primarily young men and women, are currently detained in an area controlled by a designated terrorist group near the Myanmar-Thailand border.

Through exclusive communication with some of the individuals being held, News 1st has obtained critical information pertaining to their situation.

News 1st has received exclusive information from relatives of the youths, revealing their current predicament. 

News 1st has not independently verified these videos.

"This is like a slave camp. They lied to us and moved us here. With the worsening situation in Sri Lanka, we fell prey to this scheme. They forced us to romanticize in a fake manner with other people and scam them. If we refused, they would handcuff us, force us to work, and then place us in cages, and tie us in dark rooms," said one Sri Lankan.

"The manner in which we were moved to this place was dangerous. They took us in four vehicles with a military-like unit, crossed borders with payments, and confiscated our phones. When we reached this camp, they refused to let us go and demanded USD 8,000 for release. They are dangerous and sometimes electrocute us. There are four offices with Sri Lankans here. We are not given food, held by force, and forced to work 15-17 hours a day. We want to go home," explained another Sri Lankan.

Sri Lankan Ambassador to Myanmar Janaka Bandara confirmed the presence of 56 Sri Lankans detained in the area and acknowledged ongoing negotiations with the Myanmar government for their release.

"There are 56 people held illegally in Miyawali between Myanmar and Thailand. We are told they are being used to commit cybercrimes. Via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we discussed the issue with the Myanmar Government and managed to secure the release of 32 Sri Lankans from October 2022 to October 2023. We are now in talks for the release of the remaining 56. The issue with rescuing them is the military junta in Myanmar and terrorist groups operating in the region. However, we have been engaging in talks for almost a year," he added.

He cited challenges due to the complex political situation in Myanmar and the involvement of terrorist groups in the region, but assured continuous efforts to secure the victims' freedom.

In a contradictory statement, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment denied any knowledge of the incident. 

News 1st's Ranushka Lakmal Kirindigala contributed to this report.