Hong Kong authorities will thoroughly investigate whether intermediaries luring residents into illegal work in Southeast Asia are being directly controlled by crime syndicates amid a resurgence in such scams, the security minister has pledged.
Advertisement
Secretary for Security Tang Chris Tang Ping-keung also said on Saturday that the government would do its “utmost” to rescue 11 Hong Kong residents held captive in scam farms across the region.
Last week, the Security Bureau dispatched a task force to Thailand to meet local authorities after facing renewed pressure triggered by the rescue of mainland Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was earlier kidnapped along the Thai-Myanmar border.
“We’ve expressed our grave concerns to Thai authorities, who took us very seriously and promised to provide full assistance for us,” Tang said on a TV programme.
The minister vowed authorities would also continue to work with their Thai counterparts and share intelligence to thwart a resurgence in such cases.
Advertisement
“We still have 11 Hongkongers being detained over there. We must do our utmost to secure their safe release to Hong Kong. To facilitate the process, we’ve exchanged some intelligence with relevant parties,” he said.