SAR Govt shall make every effort to rescue trapped HK residents in Southeast Asia, CE says

When asked by a reporter about the case where some Hong Kong residents were suspected of having been lured to Southeast Asian countries and detained there for engaging in illegal work, and whether the government would consider seeking assistance from other countries and under what circumstances the travel advisory for Thailand would be escalated, John Lee said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government takes the incident very seriously.

"The Security Bureau had strengthened the structure of its dedicated investigation team at the beginning of 2024, increased the number of colleagues from the police and the Immigration Department (IMMD), and contacted various channels, including Interpol, to rescue the 12 Hong Kong residents whose personal freedom is still restricted."

Lee noted that the dedicated team sent to Thailand met with the Thai Minister of Justice to discuss how they could jointly investigate and assist Hong Kong residents needing rescue. In the past, the Security Bureau has rescued 16 Hong Kong residents who were similarly restricted in personal freedom and will make efforts to rescue the remaining 12.

He continued by stating that the government will consider all available rescue methods, including coordinating and promoting work with the local Chinese Embassy, and exchanging intelligence on fund chains, scam techniques, and other information through the police and the IMMD networks.

Regarding the Outbound Travel Alerts for Thailand, Lee mentioned that it is currently at the amber alert level.

"The Security Bureau will announce the latest information on its website and other platforms, and the Bureau will make the specific decision."

He emphasized that Hong Kong, like the rest of the world, frequently faces various scams, and despite the government's efforts, some unfortunate individuals still fall victim. He advised victims to understand that the deception methods of scammers are constantly evolving and urged citizens to be vigilant against false information on the internet.

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