Chinese, Thai police arrest 12 suspects for cross-border trafficking

Chinese and Thai police have jointly arrested 12 suspects linked to cross-border crimes, following the disappearance and entrapment of several Chinese nationals, including actor Wang Xing, on the Thai-Myanmar border, which has sparked widespread public concern.

China's Ministry of Public Security has conducted a comprehensive review of cases involving overseas Chinese who had gone missing or were trapped. The ministry coordinated with Chinese embassies and consulates, as well as other relevant departments, to rescue some of the affected individuals and investigate their cases.

Actor Wang Xing, a lighting technician surnamed Sun, model Yang, and several other individuals surnamed Wu, Lin, and Xu have been rescued and safely returned to China, the ministry said on Friday.

Wang's disappearance sparked widespread concern earlier this month after his girlfriend shared a social media post about his situation, which was amplified by several celebrities.

Investigations reveal that on December 29, 2024, Wang saw an announcement on a WeChat group about a film shoot in Bangkok, the Thai capital. He added the deputy director, nicknamed "Yan Shiliu," on his WeChat to discuss the opportunity.

Upon arriving at Bangkok's Suvarnbhoomi Airport on the morning of January 3, 2025, Wang was taken by a vehicle arranged by Yan across the Thai-Myanmar border to Myawaddy, and was then trafficked to various online fraud parks.

Following Wang's rescue and return to China, his story prompted a wave of similar accounts on Chinese social media, with many users reporting that their friends or family had also gone missing near the Myanmar border after being lured to Thailand under false pretenses.

While searching for and rescuing the trapped individuals, the public security organs uncovered a criminal group hidden in the Myanmar town of Myawaddy, specializing in cross-border human trafficking.

Since December 2024, the group had posted false job advertisements on numerous WeChat groups for actors, models, and film crew members. By purchasing air tickets, booking hotels, and arranging transportation for interested individuals, they lured them to Thailand and then transported them to Myawaddy, to be sold to various telecommunication fraud dens. Multiple recent cases of missing or trapped individuals overseas are associated with this criminal group.

Currently, Chinese and Thai police have jointly detained 12 domestic and foreign suspects connected to the cross-border crimes. The investigation into related cases and the pursuit of other suspects are ongoing.

In response to recent appeals for help from families of missing and trapped individuals overseas, the ministry has directed public security agencies across the country to carefully follow up on all leads, launch immediate investigations, and collaborate with relevant departments to ensure these individuals are found and rescued as soon as possible.

The ministry also reminds the public to remain vigilant, enhance security precautions, and not to readily believe high-salary job advertisements or employment information from abroad to avoid falling into criminal traps.