The National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (NAHTTF) has warned the public of, what it called, a fresh wave of human trafficking, targeting Sri Lankan nationals.The Defence Ministry issued the following statement yesterday: Organised trafficking syndicates operating cyber scam centers in South East Asia have launched a large-scale recruitment drive. These networks are attempting to lure and move over 50,000 individuals to these scam compounds from all countries and Sri Lankans are among the primary targets.

As per the information received, five new scam centers are reportedly being set up in remote areas. Drawing on recent information and established patterns of exploitation, traffickers are using misleading online advertisements and fraudulent job offers to attract job seekers. These operations remain highly active, with several Sri Lankans confirmed to have been trafficked to these locations in the past few weeks.

In addition to above, NAHTTF notes, that several victims had been attracted and initially recruited to these scam centers while working in Dubai. Further, the rest of the Sri Lankans among them have been directly recruited from Sri Lanka through the tactic of using fake job advertisement in social media platforms.

Victims rescued from these scam centers, reveal harrowing experiences of torture, including electric shocks, raising serious concerns for the safety and well-being of those trapped at present.

Therefore, NAHTTF urges the general public to exercise extreme vigilance when responding to online job advertisement in South East Asia, especially in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, and follow the legitimate procedures to go safely abroad for employment purposes though registration with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). Families and communities are also encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious recruitment activities to the relevant authorities in Sri Lanka.”