Traffickers are forcing thousands of people from across Asia to work in online scam centres.
Taiwanese masseuse Yang Weibin was one of thousands who fell prey to job scams in South East Asia
His passport was taken from him - to sort out his paperwork, he was told. He was shown to a small bare room - his new home. And one more thing, the men said: you can't leave the compound, ever. Human trafficking has long been an endemic problem in South East Asia. But experts say criminal networks are now looking further afield and preying on a different type of victim.
"The manager told me to work obediently, not to try to escape or resist or I will be taken to the torture room… Many others told me if they did not meet the target, they would be starved and beaten." While Cambodia has emerged as a major hotspot for the scam centres, many have also popped up in border towns in Thailand and Myanmar. Most of them appear to be Chinese-owned or linked to Chinese entities, according to reports.
Criminal networks figured out how to quickly pivot to online operations during the pandemic. Many of the traffickers also used to target Chinese workers, but China's strict travel restrictions and multiple lockdowns have cut off this major source of labour, forcing traffickers to turn to other countries.
Another factor is increased Chinese investment in the region, mostly through the Belt and Road Initiative, which has improved connectivity - but also the ability for organised crime to expand their reach, say experts. Cambodia's interior minister acknowledged it was a widespread problem, calling it "a new crime that has emerged brutally" - while also insisting it is overwhelmingly perpetrated by foreigners.
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