M’sian trio ensnared by syndicate into becoming scammers in Laos

PETALING JAYA: Three Malaysians ensnared by a human trafficking syndicate in Laos and forced to become scammers arrived home today after they were rescued by the Malaysian International Humanitarian Organisation.

The three men in their 20s from Melaka were forced to prey on fellow Malaysians via love scams. They were also ordered to carry out job scams, targeting people from Germany, France, the UK and US.

Berita Harian reported them as telling their story to reporters when they finally returned home, having been rescued from the syndicate operating in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos.

They flew home from Chiang Rai International Airport in Thailand with Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation representative Azirul Syafiq Sazali, arriving at Terminal 2 of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 6.30pm today.

The trio were taken in by advertisements on Facebook promising salaries between RM4,000 and RM9,000 a month for work in customer service in Thailand.

One of them, who only wanted to be known as Fikri, 20, said he left for Dubai in March, staying there for a month without doing any work.

He said after a month without work, he asked a syndicate’s representative to send him back to Malaysia, but was told to pay them RM10,000 to RM20,000.

“I was then brought to Laos to become a scammer. There were times we did not receive much in pay, having had ‘fines’ deducted for not reaching our targets.

“We were also forced to eat non-halal food to survive,” he said.

MHO secretary-general Hishamuddin Hashim said the organisation managed to bring them home without paying the ransom after negotiations with the syndicate.

“Besides the three victims, nine other Malaysians are expected to return home next week,” he said.