The National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force has sounded the alarm over a growing human trafficking threat targeting Sri Lankans. Officials warn of fraudulent job offers luring victims to brutal scam compounds in Southeast Asia, with reports of torture and forced labor.
The National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (NAHTTF) has issued an urgent warning following credible intelligence on a surge of human trafficking activities specifically targeting Sri Lankan nationals.
Authorities revealed that organized trafficking networks are attempting to lure and transport over 50,000 individuals to scam compounds across the region, with Sri Lankans listed among the primary targets. Five new scam centers are reportedly being established in remote areas, intensifying concerns over the scale of exploitation.
According to the NAHTTF, traffickers are using a combination of deceptive online job advertisements and fraudulent employment offers to recruit victims. Many have been misled into believing they were securing legitimate work opportunities. Several Sri Lankans have already been trafficked to these sites in recent weeks, with some lured while working abroad in Dubai, and others recruited directly from Sri Lanka via social media job posts.
Rescued victims have shared harrowing accounts of their ordeal, including torture with electric shocks and other forms of abuse, underscoring the extreme risks faced by those trapped in these scam compounds.
The NAHTTF has urged the public to be extremely cautious when responding to online job advertisements in Southeast Asia, particularly in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. Officials stressed the importance of following legal migration channels, including registering with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), to ensure safe travel for employment purposes.
Communities and families are being urged to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious recruitment or travel arrangements to the relevant Sri Lankan authorities.
