INTERPOL report reveals trafficking-based cyber fraud spread to Latin America News
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INTERPOL report reveals trafficking-based cyber fraud spread to Latin America

INTERPOL released a report on Friday stating that its “Operation Storm Makers II,” an operation targeting human trafficking-based cyber fraud, has revealed evidence showing that the crime has expanded to Latin America, far away from its center in Southeast Asia.

INTERPOL said that, after five months of investigation, participating countries conducted more than 270,000 inspections at 450 human trafficking hotspots from October 16 to 20, with 149 victims rescued and 281 individuals arrested for offenses such as human trafficking, passport forgery, corruption, telecommunications fraud and sexual exploitation. Victims are usually lured through fake job advertisements, fake cryptocurrency investments, lottery and online gambling scams. The victims are then forced to commit telecommunications fraud in cyber scam centers.

Initially, these cyber scam centers were mainly located in Cambodia, with human-trafficking hubs in Laos and Myanmar and victims from China, Malaysia, Thailand or Singapore. Now, new scam centers and victims have been discovered in other continents as far afield as Latin America. For example, INTERPOL supported Peruvian law enforcement in a case where 40 Malaysians were lured to that country by fake recruiters to conduct cyber scams.

Rosemary Nalubega, Assistant Director of Vulnerable Communities at INTERPOL, pointed out that “only concerted global action can truly address the globalization of this crime trend.”

On Friday, the US, the UK and Canada announced a sweeping package of sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, against nine individuals and five entities for their involvement in human trafficking related to cyber scams in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The UK government said that “a small number of British nationals” had been victims of such crimes. On Sunday, China issued arrest warrants targeting 10 key figures involved in telecom fraud in Myanmar.

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