Hong Kong has seen a rise in local residents lured to Southeast Asia to engage in illegal work, with 12 Hongkongers still being held overseas, security chief Chris Tang has said.
Tang told the legislature on Tuesday afternoon that authorities had received reports of Hongkongers being trafficked in Southeast Asia since the second quarter of the year. A total of 23 cases had been reported as of November 25, among which 11 people had been returned to Hong Kong.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang on October 27, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
“This trend of luring people to Southeast Asian countries for illegal work has been revived…” Tang told legislators in Cantonese, warning that the public should be alert to online job ads which require low skills yet offer a handsome income.
In 2022, 46 Hong Kong residents had sought help from the government after they were trafficked to Southeast Asia and put to work. A special task force under the Security Bureau was established in August 2022 to support such victims.
As of late November, 43 victims among the 46 had returned to Hong Kong, according to the Security Bureau, adding that the remaining three individuals did not require further assistance or follow-up.
Authorities have stepped up public education of overseas job scams across the city in 2022. File photo: Hong Kong Police, via Facebook.
When asked by a legislator how the 12 victims currently detained in Southeast Asia could be rescued, Tang said the authorities will “provide full assistance” – but did not state specific measures.
“We will provide full assistance to those who have not returned, including support from the country’s overseas embassies and consulates, with communication between law enforcement agencies…” Tang said.
The official said that the victims went to Southeast Asia “voluntarily.”
“These individuals generally went voluntarily, with some claiming they were deceived into doing legitimate work, only to be illegally detained for labour later, ” Tang said. He added that “no one has been suddenly taken while walking on the street.”
Hong Kong International Airport. File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
The security chief did not answer directly when asked by a legislator whether or not authorities will actively launch operations to crack down on online scams that lure Hongkongers abroad.
“Education is a more efficient way… it can reduce harm, ” Tang said. “When it comes to those job [ads] of Southeast Asia work, it usually doesn’t require skills and the pay is high – that doesn’t make sense.”
Life-threatening danger
Earlier in November, families of two victims and Andy Yu – a former district councillor who had been supporting Hongkongers trafficked to Southeast Asia – met the press. They urged the government to speed up their efforts to rescue victims.
Yu told local media on November 1 that he was currently assisting three victims, with some families being asked to pay a high ransom. Victims were often made to conduct online scams – such as Whatsapp scams – he said.
Yu said – compared to two years ago – families have found it more difficult to reach out to detained victims. With a civil war going in Myanmar, where some Hongkongers are detained, Yu said certain victims remain in life-threatening danger.
