Human trafficking remains as one of humanity’s most heinous acts against an individual and is growing prominently in Southeast Asia. Millions endure exploitation, violence, degradation, and deprivation of their freedoms. Despite efforts from Interpol, NGOs, and the UN, human trafficking has seemingly exploded as organized crime runs rampant in several countries.

In an article by CNN, many instances of human trafficking start online. “Driven by online anonymity, inspired by new business models and accelerated by Covid, these organized crime groups are now working at a scale that was unimaginable a decade ago,” (Magramo, CNN ). Victims are approached online anonymously, often duped into either job opportunities or dating matches. From there, they travel to a meetup location where they are kidnapped and eventually taken to compounds. Victims face forced labor, sexual abuse, degrading treatment, or torture. In severe instances, victims are held in conditions which amount to “Modern Slavery”. (Stock, 2024)

(Living Conditions of Compounds in Cambodia, https://www.ucanews.com/news/cambodia-detains-over-200-in-second-human-trafficking-raid/106955)

At the moment, the key hubs for these operations are located in Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and the Philippines. The UN estimates that north of one hundred and twenty thousand individuals are currently held captive in Myanmar, with even more held in Cambodia. With Myanmar sharing a border with western China, Chinese nationals are often exploited for labor. In an effort to reduce trafficking, Beijing has begun cracking down on border crime targeting Chinese nationals.

With the UN and local governments struggling to contain this issue, gangs have targeting victims on a global scale. Organized crime operations are netting close to 3 trillion from human trafficking annually in Southeast Asia alone. (CNN) With the lack of regulations and efforts from law enforcements, syndicates have used the labor from human trafficking for online scams and fraud. In testimonies from victims in Malaysia and Vietnam, each worker was forced to meet a daily quota for money scammed. If they didn’t reach this threshold, they were forcibly beaten and abused. These scams ranged from social security scams, to intricate company fraud. (CNN)

Rampant human trafficking can be attributed to several factors. Corrupt law enforcement officers, bribery, and lack of resources hinder an agencies ability to effectively combat traffickers. Furthermore, weak legal frameworks  allow traffickers to transcend national borders and expand their operation on a larger scale. With many of the victims coming from impoverished areas seeking work, they are especially vulnerable to these scams out of necessity for work and living costs. They are forced into inhumane conditions without proper contracts which limit their freedom and rights.

Despite the challenges, many countries have begun strengthening their legal frameworks to combat this issue. Regional cooperation has increased due to organizations such as ASEAN, which foster collaboration on border trafficking. In addition, awareness campaigns such as the Blue Heart Campaign have alerted vulnerable communities to the dangers of trafficking.

While the outlook for human trafficking is still bleak, there is still hope for prevention and rescuing of victims. In order to protect individuals and their human rights, cooperation between NGOs, governments, security agencies, and individuals is imperative to a secure Southeast Asia.