By Kotie Geldenhuys
Photos courtesy of Freepik and Pexels
In some Asian countries, such as Myanmar’s conflict-ridden eastern border, a dark industry is thriving. An industry that turns victims into perpetrators. Thousands of people, trafficked from across Asia and other continents, are held in compounds such as the infamous KK Park and forced to run global scam operations targeting victims in Europe, Africa, the USA and China. Those who resist face brutal punishment, including torture and death. Amid this grim reality, a small network of aid workers is risking everything to help them escape (Lynch, 2024).
Cyber slavery is a modern form of human trafficking where victims are kidnapped, coerced and forced into digital scamming operations. From Cambodia to the Philippines, thousands of people are being held in compounds and forced to commit online fraud, with criminal networks exploiting the region’s economic vulnerabilities and lax enforcement mechanisms (Annorzie, 2025).
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[This is only an extract of an article published in Servamus: October 2025. This article is available for purchase.]