CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html><html dir="ltr" lang="en"><head><script async="" src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-7SM5ECVPYV"></script><script>window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments)};gtag('js',new Date());gtag('config', 'G-7SM5ECVPYV');</script><script async="" src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-JPDLBDFSRC"></script><script>window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments)};gtag('js',new Date());gtag('config', 'G-JPDLBDFSRC');</script><script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:''; j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','ROSEAP','G-7SM5ECVPYV');</script><script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:''; j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','UNODC MAIN','G-JPDLBDFSRC');</script><link href="//www.unodc.org/cdn/favicon/standard/apple-touch-icon.png" sizes="180x180" rel="apple-touch-icon"/><link href="//www.unodc.org/cdn/favicon/standard/favicon-32x32.png" sizes="32x32" type="image/png" rel="icon shortcut"/><link href="//www.unodc.org/cdn/favicon/standard/favicon-16x16.png" sizes="16x16" type="image/png" rel="icon shortcut"/><link href="//www.unodc.org/cdn/favicon/standard/site.webmanifest" rel="manifest"/><link color="#5bbad5" href="//www.unodc.org/cdn/favicon/standard/safari-pinned-tab.svg" rel="mask-icon"/><meta content="#2b5797" name="msapplication-TileColor"/><meta content="#ffffff" name="theme-color"/><script type="text/javascript">const pageLocale="en"</script><link rel="stylesheet" href="/roseap/misc/webpack/css/main.390e84b4.css"/><title>Scams and trafficking for forced criminality: UNODC establishes emergency response network to combat human trafficking in Southeast Asia</title><meta charset="utf-8"/><meta content="IE=edge" http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible"/><meta content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, shrink-to-fit=no" name="viewport"/><meta content="Scams and trafficking for forced criminality: UNODC establishes emergency response network to combat human trafficking in Southeast Asia" property="og:title"/><meta content="https://www.unodc.org/roseap/en/2024/05/emergency-response-network/story.html" property="og:url"/><meta content="United Nations : UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific" property="og:site_name"/><meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/><meta content="Scams and trafficking for forced criminality: UNODC establishes emergency response network to combat human trafficking in Southeast Asia" property="og:description"/><meta content="https://www.unodc.org/roseap/uploads/images/2024/05/emergency-response/emergency_1.jpg" property="og:image"/><meta name="twitter:image" content="https://www.unodc.org/roseap/uploads/images/2024/05/emergency-response/emergency_1.jpg"/><meta content="Scams and trafficking for forced criminality: UNODC establishes emergency response network to combat human trafficking in Southeast Asia" property="keywords"/></head><body ng-cloak="true" ng-app="stdApp" id="site-body"><div id="react-root"></div><noscript><iframe style="display:none;visibility:hidden" width="0" height="0" src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=G-7SM5ECVPYV"/></noscript><noscript><iframe style="display:none;visibility:hidden" width="0" height="0" src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=G-JPDLBDFSRC"/></noscript><nav class="slide-on-scroll navbar navbar-expand-lg" id="brand-bar"><div class="container"><a href="//www.unodc.org/roseap/index.html" class="navbar-brand pr-1 pl-2 m-0 ml-n2 d-flex align-items-center"><span id="welcomeMessage">Welcome to the United Nations</span></a><button aria-label="Toggle menu" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="websiteNav" data-target="#websiteNav" data-toggle="collapse" type="button" class="topnav-switch-mini navbar-toggler"><i class="fa fa-bars"></i></button></div></nav><div id="header-container" class="container"><div class="d-flex flex-lg-nowrap flex-wrap py-lg-4 pt-2"><div id="site-logo-title-container" class="py-lg-0 pt-2 pb-3 mr-lg-auto d-flex flex-nowrap align-items-center"><div class=" " id="site-logo"><a href="//www.unodc.org/roseap/index.html" class="d-block"><img class="img-responsive" alt="United Nations" src="/cdn/shared/standard/images/un-emblem.svg"></img></a></div><div lang="en" class="pl-2 pr-3 border-right" id="site-title"><h1><a href="//www.unodc.org/roseap/index.html">United Nations</a></h1></div><div class="pl-3" id="site-subtitle"><h2><a href="//www.unodc.org/roseap/index.html">UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific</a></h2></div></div><div class="pt-3 py-lg-0 pl-lg-3 align-self-center d-lg-block d-none" id="site-search-container"><form action="/roseap/site-search/gsa-site-search.html" class="form-inline site-search-form"><div class="form-group d-flex flex-nowrap mb-0"><label for="search-site" class="sr-only">Site Search</label><input name="q" placeholder="Search the site" id="search-site" class="form-control flex-fill border-right-0" type="text"/><button class="btn btn-default border-left-0 px-3" type="submit"><i class="fas fa-search"><span class="sr-only d-none">Search the site</span></i></button></div></form></div></div></div><div class=""><nav id="navigation-menu-container" class="navbar navbar-expand-lg py-1 py-md-0 container "><div class="collapse navbar-collapse" id="websiteNav"><ul id="topNavMenu" class="nav navbar-nav"><li class="L1 nav-item dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/index.html" class="nav-link dropdown-toggle">Regional Programme and Strategy</a><ul class="M1 dropdown-menu"><li class="L2 dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/toc/index.html" class="dropdown-item dropdown-toggle">Transnational Organised Crime</a><ul class="M2 dropdown-menu"><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/toc/drugs-and-precursors.html" class="dropdown-item">Drugs and precursors</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/toc/human-trafficking.html" class="dropdown-item">Human trafficking</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/toc/smuggling-of-migrants.html" class="dropdown-item">Smuggling of migrants</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/environment-climate/asia-pacific.html" class="dropdown-item">Crimes that Affect the Environment</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/toc/border-management.html" class="dropdown-item">Border management</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/toc/anti-money-laundering.html" class="dropdown-item">Anti-money laundering</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/toc/cyber-crime.html" class="dropdown-item">Cybercrime</a></li></ul></li><li class="L2 dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/anti-corruption/index.html" class="dropdown-item dropdown-toggle">Anti-Corruption</a><ul class="M2 dropdown-menu"><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/anti-corruption/overview.html" class="dropdown-item">Overview</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/unodc/en/corruption/publications.html" class="dropdown-item">Resources</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/anti-corruption/activities.html" class="dropdown-item">Activities</a></li></ul></li><li class="L2 dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/terrorism-prevention/index.html" class="dropdown-item dropdown-toggle">Terrorism Prevention</a><ul class="M2 dropdown-menu"><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/terrorism-prevention/overview.html" class="dropdown-item">Overview</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/resources/terrorism-prevention/index.html" class="dropdown-item">Resources</a></li></ul></li><li class="L2 dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/criminal-justice/index.html" class="dropdown-item dropdown-toggle">Criminal Justice Systems</a><ul class="M2 dropdown-menu"><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/criminal-justice/crime-prevention.html" class="dropdown-item">Crime prevention</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/criminal-justice/criminal-justice-reform.html" class="dropdown-item">Criminal justice reform</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/criminal-justice/cross-border.html" class="dropdown-item">Cross-border criminal justice cooperation</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/criminal-justice/child-sex-offences.html" class="dropdown-item">Combating child sex offences</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/criminal-justice/prison-management.html" class="dropdown-item">Prison management</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/SEAJust/index.html" class="dropdown-item">South East Asia Justice Network (SEAJust)</a></li></ul></li><li class="L2 dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/drugs-health-ad/index.html" class="dropdown-item dropdown-toggle">Drugs and Health, and Alternative Development</a><ul class="M2 dropdown-menu"><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/drugs-health-ad/drug-use-prevention.html" class="dropdown-item">Drug Use Prevention</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/drugs-health-ad/treatment-re-integration.html" class="dropdown-item">Drug use treatment and re-integration</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/drugs-health-ad/drug-use-hiv.html" class="dropdown-item">Drug Use and HIV</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/drugs-health-ad/sustainable-alternative-development.html" class="dropdown-item">Sustainable alternative development</a></li></ul></li></ul></li><li class="L1 nav-item dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en#" class="nav-link dropdown-toggle">Resources</a><ul class="M1 dropdown-menu"><li class="L2"><a href="/roseap/en/frontpage/index.html" class="dropdown-item">Stories</a></li><li class="L2"><a href="/roseap/en/resources/publications.html" class="dropdown-item">Publications</a></li></ul></li><li class="L1 nav-item dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/where-we-work/index.html" class="nav-link dropdown-toggle">Where We Work</a><ul class="M1 dropdown-menu"><li class="L2 dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/cambodia/index.html" class="dropdown-item dropdown-toggle">Cambodia</a><ul class="M2 dropdown-menu"><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/cambodia/our-work.html" class="dropdown-item">Our Work</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/cambodia/contact-us.html" class="dropdown-item">Contact Us</a></li></ul></li><li class="L2 dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/indonesia/index.html" class="dropdown-item dropdown-toggle">Indonesia</a><ul class="M2 dropdown-menu"><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/indonesia/regional-programme-segment.html" class="dropdown-item">Regional Programme Indonesia Segment</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/frontpage/indonesia.html" class="dropdown-item">Stories</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/indonesia/contact-us.html" class="dropdown-item">Contact Us</a></li></ul></li><li class="L2 dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/laopdr/index.html" class="dropdown-item dropdown-toggle">Lao PDR</a><ul class="M2 dropdown-menu"><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/laopdr/our-work.html" class="dropdown-item">Our Work</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/laopdr/contact-us.html" class="dropdown-item">Contact Us</a></li></ul></li><li class="L2"><a href="/roseap/en/malaysia/index.html" class="dropdown-item">Malaysia</a></li><li class="L2 dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/myanmar/index.html" class="dropdown-item dropdown-toggle">Myanmar</a><ul class="M2 dropdown-menu"><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/myanmar/country-programme.html" class="dropdown-item">Country Programme</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/myanmar/contact-us.html" class="dropdown-item">Contact Us</a></li></ul></li><li class="L2 dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/pacific/index.html" class="dropdown-item dropdown-toggle">Pacific Islands</a><ul class="M2 dropdown-menu"><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/pacific/resources.html" class="dropdown-item">Resources</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/pacific/what-we-do.html" class="dropdown-item">What We Do</a></li></ul></li><li class="L2 dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/png/index.html" class="dropdown-item dropdown-toggle">Papua New Guinea</a><ul class="M2 dropdown-menu"><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/png/anti-corruption-project.html" class="dropdown-item">Anti-Corruption Project</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/png/resources.html" class="dropdown-item">Resources</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/png/contact-us.html" class="dropdown-item">Contact Us</a></li></ul></li><li class="L2 dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/philippines/index.html" class="dropdown-item dropdown-toggle">Philippines</a><ul class="M2 dropdown-menu"><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/philippines/contact-us.html" class="dropdown-item">Contact Us</a></li></ul></li><li class="L2 dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/vietnam/index.html" class="dropdown-item dropdown-toggle">Viet Nam</a><ul class="M2 dropdown-menu"><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/vietnam/country-programme.html" class="dropdown-item">Country Programme</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/vietnam/contact-us.html" class="dropdown-item">Contact Us</a></li><li class="L3"><a href="/roseap/en/vietnam/job-opportunities.html" class="dropdown-item">Job Opportunities</a></li></ul></li></ul></li><li class="L1 nav-item dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en/who-we-are/index.html" class="nav-link dropdown-toggle">Who We Are</a><ul class="M1 dropdown-menu"><li class="L2"><a href="/roseap/en/what-we-do/masood-karimipour.html" class="dropdown-item">Regional Representative</a></li><li class="L2"><a href="/roseap/en/who-we-are/index.html" class="dropdown-item">Meet the Staff</a></li></ul></li><li class="L1 nav-item dropdown "><a href="/roseap/en#" class="nav-link dropdown-toggle">Work Opportunities</a><ul class="M1 dropdown-menu"><li class="L2"><a href="/roseap/en/who-we-are/job-opportunities.html" class="dropdown-item">Job Opportunities</a></li><li class="L2"><a href="/roseap/en/who-we-are/full-time-internship.html" class="dropdown-item">Full Time Internship Programme</a></li></ul></li><li class="L1 nav-item"><a href="/roseap/en/contact-us/roseap.html" class="nav-link">Contact Us</a></li></ul></div></nav></div><div id="extranav" class="container extranav__container"></div><div class="my-5 container"><div role="alert" class="align-middle text-center text-danger alert alert-danger p-5"><h2>Sorry, the browser you are using is not fully supported by our site.</h2><p class="my-3">Please consider using Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox.</p></div></div><div id="content-container" class="container-fluid px-0"><!DOCTYPE HTML><div class="container mx-auto mt-0"> <div class=" row mt-4 mb-0"> <div style="" class=" col-lg-12"> <h1 class="site-heading">Scams and trafficking for forced criminality: UNODC establishes emergency response network to combat human trafficking in Southeast Asia</h1> <div class=" island px-0 py-3 pt-lg-0 pb-lg-3 col-lg-6 float-left pl-lg-0 pr-lg-4 "> <div class="image-container"><img src="/roseap/uploads/images/2024/05/emergency-response/emergency_1.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="alt text is missing" title="alt text is missing"></div> </div><p><strong>Bangkok (Thailand), 15 May 2024</strong> – In a new effort to fight human trafficking for forced criminal activities —particularly scam operations— UNODC has established an Emergency Response Network (ERN) to tackle the rising transnational criminality in Southeast Asia. The network aims to enhance cooperation and coordination among law enforcement agencies across the region.<br /><br />“In the last several years, Southeast Asia has faced unprecedented challenges from powerful transnational criminal groups involved in money laundering, cybercrimes, kidnapping, extortion, and torture,” said Rebecca Miller, Regional Coordinator for countering human trafficking and migrant smuggling at UNODC’s Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. “The establishment of the ERN is essential for addressing the sophisticated and often mobile nature of transnational organized crime in the region,” she added.<br /><br />Particularly alarming is the trend of human trafficking for forced criminality, where individuals are deceived and coerced into participating in criminal activities such as romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and illegal gambling. The collaborative regional effort is designed to dismantle scam compounds, identify and rescue victims, and bolster both domestic and regional investigations. Through the rapid exchange of intelligence on criminal networks, critical issues can be addressed when emergencies occur, including victims’ rescue</p> <div class=" island px-0 py-3 pt-lg-0 pb-lg-3 col-lg-6 float-right pr-lg-0 pl-lg-4 "> <div class="image-container"><img src="/roseap/uploads/images/2024/05/emergency-response/emergency_2.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="alt text is missing" title="alt text is missing"></div> </div><p>The ERN will serve as a platform for the timely exchange of information among law enforcement agencies from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The network will connect nominated police officers specialized in anti-trafficking in persons, those specialized in cybercrime, and INTERPOL National Central Bureau officials from each participating country. Direct police-to-police communication will ensure a coordinated response, with UNODC and INTERPOL playing supporting roles.<br /><br />“This initiative will benefit the Philippines, particularly the law enforcement agencies, as it fosters collaborative strategies, enhanced information sharing, and strengthens cross-border cooperation to dismantle trafficking networks and protect vulnerable individuals,” said Police Colonel Vina Habana Guzman, Chief of Staff at the Anti-Cybercrime Group of the Philippine National Police, who participated in the network’s inception meeting held in Bangkok last week. “We are truly committed to this continued partnership with regional counterparts to achieve our shared goals of justice and security,” she added.<br /><br />Coordination meetings will take place in the coming months, including capacity-building sessions with experts on topics identified by ERN members, such as financial investigations and digital evidence. The network is funded by the Government of Japan.<br /><em><br /></em>Access our latest report on casinos, money laundering and transnational organized crime in East and Southeast Asia <a href="https://www.unodc.org/roseap/uploads/documents/Publications/2024/Casino_Underground_Banking_Report_2024.pdf">here</a>.<br /><br />Access our September 2023 report on casinos, cyberfraud, and trafficking in persons for forced criminality in Southeast Asia <a href="https://www.unodc.org/roseap/uploads/documents/Publications/2023/TiP_for_FC_Policy_Report.pdf">here</a>.<br /><br />Access UNODC’s key indicators of trafficking in persons for forced criminality to commit cyber enabled crimes <a href="https://www.unodc.org/roseap/uploads/documents/Publications/2023/UNODC_Key_Indicators_of_TIP_for_Forced_Criminality_FINAL_September_2023.pdf">here</a>.</p></div> </div> </div></div><div id="footer-container" class="container-fluid"><div class="container"><div class="row footer-logo-container"><div class="py-3 py-lg-4 px-0 col"><div class="site-footer d-flex flex-nowrap align-items-center"><div class="site-footer-logo"><a href="/index.html"><img class="img-responsive" alt="United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime" src="/cdn/shared/standard/images/un-emblem-white.svg"></img></a></div><div class="site-footer-title px-2"><a href="/index.html">United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime</a></div></div></div></div><div class="row footer-nav-container"><div class="py-lg-3 px-0 col"><div class="footer-nav"><ul> <li><a href="###">Home</a></li> <li><a href="###">Contacts</a></li> <li><a href="###">Fraud Alert</a></li> </ul></div></div></div></div></div><script src="/roseap/misc/webpack/js/runtime.68495fcd.js"></script><script src="/roseap/misc/webpack/js/vendor.4be638d1.js"></script><script src="/roseap/misc/webpack/js/addon.7eabf673.js"></script><script src="/roseap/misc/webpack/js/main.390e84b4.js"></script></body></html>