Human Traffickers Lure Russians to Asia and Enslave Them in Myanmar Scam Compounds

Human trafficking networks operating in Southeast Asia continue to abduct Russian citizens and forcibly hold them inside scam centers in Myanmar. Victims are deceived by attractive job offers, stripped of their documents upon arrival, and transported to remote compounds where they are threatened with violence and compelled to participate in illegal activities.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Vyacheslav Argenberg, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Goteyk, railway viaduct

From Modeling Contract to Captivity

One of the most recent victims is a young Russian photo model from Siberia. She was offered a modeling job in Thailand with a promised salary of five thousand US dollars per month. Despite initial doubts, the proposal appeared legitimate and professionally organized, convincing her that the work posed no danger.

According to Ivan Melnikov, vice president of the Unified Coordination Center for Supporting Compatriots Abroad, the recruitment process involved experienced manipulators who carefully built trust. After arriving in Thailand, the woman was sent for what she believed was a job interview in Yangon, Myanmar. Instead, her passport and phone were confiscated, and she was taken to a scam center hidden in jungle territory.

How Scam Centers Operate in Myanmar

Scam centers are facilities where trafficked individuals from various countries are forced to conduct phone and online fraud operations. Criminal groups advertise jobs in IT, tourism, or modeling across Southeast Asia, requiring only basic English skills, vaccinations, and a passport.

Victims are promised contracts, housing, meals, and high pay. Once they arrive in Thailand, they are secretly transported across the border into Myanmar, where they are held under guard. Any refusal to work is met with threats, beatings, or prolonged confinement.

Dozens of Russians May Still Be Held Captive

Russian diplomats report that at least three official appeals have been received from relatives of citizens believed to be detained in Myanmar scam centers. In each case, formal diplomatic notes were sent to Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"We remain in contact with local authorities to provide urgent assistance to Russian citizens who may be in danger,” a Russian diplomatic source stated.

Human rights groups warn that the real number of Russians trapped in such compounds could be significantly higher, as many families are afraid to contact authorities or lack reliable information about their relatives' whereabouts.

Arrests and Limited Rescues

On December 17, Thai authorities detained one suspected recruiter at an airport. Investigators believe he played a role in luring Russian citizens into Southeast Asia under false pretenses.

According to data compiled by TASS, six Russians have been freed from Myanmar scam centers over the past year. Three were officially repatriated to Russia, two escaped independently but were later detained by Thai forces for illegal border crossing, and one woman returned home via China.

A Growing Regional Threat

Experts note that the scam center phenomenon continues to expand, fueled by weak border controls, corruption, and high profits from international fraud schemes. Despite international attention, traffickers remain largely unpunished, while victims face long periods of captivity, psychological trauma, and physical abuse.

Until coordinated international action improves enforcement and victim protection, human trafficking networks are likely to keep targeting vulnerable job seekers from Russia and other countries.