Three Moroccans were released from detention centers on Sunday after being kidnapped and detained for several months in the Thai-Myanmar border.
Moroccan news outlet SNRTNews reported today that the three victims were released on Sunday from the detention center after paying a ransom of MAD 100,000 each.
On Saturday, three others were also released and they are all now being hosted by international humanitarian bodies operating in the borders.
“These organizations mediated and supervised release operations of a number of detainees there, because they are the only entity that communicates on the ground with those controlling the area,” the news outlet said today.
Several other Moroccans are still detained, including those whose families were unable to pay the ransom.
The new release came a few weeks after the other Moroccan nationals were able to leave the extension center after their families paid the ransom.
The Thai-Myanmar kidnapping case made local and international headlines since May, sparking frustration among families of kidnapped victims and ordinary citizens alike.
The victims ended up in the location after criminal networks specializing in human trafficking scammed and lured them with employment contracts in areas, claiming they would be employed by international e-commerce companies.
The situation turned out to be a scam to lure the victim and exploit them.
The victims have since been subject to forced labor under inhumane conditions.
In a statement in May, Morocco’s embassy in Bangkok said that it had been monitoring the situation and promised to do everything possible to help the victims.
Abderrahim Rahhaly, Morocco’s ambassador in Thailand, notably confirmed that several Moroccan nationals were being held by illegal organizations in rebel-held areas near the Myanmar-Thailand border.
An authorized source recently confirmed to Morocco World News that the number of Moroccans that have been captivein the area is estimated at 14.
Thai authorities, including the country’s ambassador to Morocco Fabio Chinda also promised that his country’s authorities will do whatever they can to contribute to solving the issue.
