Taiwanese family helps fraud farm victim return home

Former Yau Tsim Mong district councilor Andy Yu Tak-po said one of the 12 Hongkongers trapped in the fraud farms, who returned home on Thursday, was helped to the airport by a Taiwanese family in Myanmar.

The man was among 12 lured into illegal work in Southeast Asian countries by fake jobs - with 11 held in Myanmar and one in Cambodia - authorities said. It is understood the man’s family had paid a ransom of US$30,000 (HK$234,000).

Speaking on a radio program Friday morning, Yu, who helped the family with the case, said the man was only with a mobile phone upon his release, adding he was fortunate that a Taiwanese family were there to pick up their detained family member and loaned him money to get to the airport.

He said the man’s family sought help from the SAR government in September last year and it wasn't until the past one or two weeks that they received a video call from an individual of the fraud farm where they saw the victim appearing in the video.

The family eventually chose to pay the ransom to secure the release, said Yu, adding that the amount of ransom constantly fluctuated during the negotiations.

Yu also noted that the SAR government should enhance their rescue efforts as there was evidence that the man was suffering from long working hours and was physically assaulted, posing a risk to their lives.

Meanwhile, he said all credit undoubtedly goes to the family of the victim, who have been tirelessly working and maintaining contact with the SAR government and the Thai consulate. 

Choosing to pay the ransom in the end was just a gamble, as there is no guarantee the perpetrators will actually release the victims, he added.