61 Vietnamese citizens rescued from Myanmar casinos
The Vietnamese embassy says they were being held at illegal casinos in northern border areas.
Vietnam.- The Vietnamese Embassy in Myanmar has announced that 61 Vietnamese citizens have been rescued from illegal casinos in the country. Pham Thu Hang, the spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed the operation during a regular press conference in Hanoi on October 26.
The Ministry’s Consular Department had received reports from Myanmar authorities of the rescue of nearly 200 foreign nationals, including Vietnamese citizens, from illegal casinos in northern border regions of Myanmar. It directed the embassy to work with local authorities to identify the Vietnamese citizens and facilitate the necessary consular procedures.
Gambling is illegal in Myanmar, but there are a number of casinos in the country, mostly in border areas. They are often run by Chinese or Thai investors with collaboration from the Border Guard Force, an armed group associated with the region’s Karen ethnic minority. The casinos have faced accusations of involvement in human trafficking, drug trafficking and internet scams.
In August, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and China agreed to cooperate against gambling fraud and related crimes, including human trafficking, kidnapping and unlawful detention.
