MANILA: The Philippine government said on Friday it has begun flying home “distressed” Filipino workers from Laos following a cyber scam crackdown at a shady special economic zone near the country’s border with Myanmar and Thailand.

The Laotian press said 771 people from 15 countries were arrested on Aug 12 at the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Bokeo province, which has emerged as a suspected hub for illegal activity in recent years.

A team from the Philippine embassy in Vientiane was sent to Bokeo “to facilitate the release and extraction of distressed OFs (overseas Filipinos),” the foreign department said in a statement.

“So far, we have responded to 129 requests for assistance, and already repatriated seven Filipinos today,” it said, adding it plans to fly home 75 others.

“The team stands ready to assist Filipinos who may still be remaining in the Golden Triangle and will continue to work with Lao authorities to ensure their safety,” the department added.

The Laotian press said those arrested in the crackdown were mostly from Laos, Myanmar and China and were later handed over to their respective embassies. They also reportedly included people from Burundi, Colombia, Ethiopia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Mozambique, Tunisia, the Philippines, Uganda and Vietnam.

The sprawling economic zone hosts a number of Chinese-owned casinos and hotels. It has seen a rapid surge in illicit activities since it was set up in 2007.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2024