Asia
Interpol issues a warning regarding human trafficking cases associated with the gaming industry.
Interpol has raised concerns about a surge in human trafficking cases connected to the gambling industry. The organization has issued a global warning about a trafficking crisis, highlighting instances of forced participation in online gambling, cryptocurrency scams, and investment fraud.
Interpol, the international law enforcement organization, has sounded the alarm on an escalating global trafficking crisis, specifically identifying countries like Cambodia, Singapore, Myanmar, and the Philippines as hotspots. While the initial victims primarily consisted of Chinese-speakers from China, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore, Interpol warns that the crisis has spread to involve victims from South America, East Africa, and Western Europe.
Interpol has revealed that victims are often coerced into engaging in illicit activities such as online gambling, cryptocurrency investment scams, and other forms of fraud. The organization’s secretary general, Jürgen Stock, stressed the urgent need for enhanced international police collaboration to curtail the expansion of this criminal trend.
The Philippines has garnered significant attention in this regard, as authorities discovered over 1,000 potential victims of human trafficking at a site licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). Subsequently, PAGCOR has taken action by closing down the site as well as the entire Sun Valley Clark hub.