Secretary for Security Chris Tang returned to Hong Kong today (March 7) from Thailand and briefed the media at the airport about a rescue operation involving Hongkongers lured into illegal work in Myanmar. Over the past two days, six Hongkongers—three men and three women aged 29 to 44—were successfully rescued after being illegally detained for five to seven months.
According to Tang, the Security Bureau's dedicated task force had earlier dispatched personnel to Mae Sot, a Thai town near the Myanmar border, to plan and prepare for the rescue operation. In the early hours of today, the rescued individuals were handed over by the Myanmar military to the Mae Sot area. Later in the afternoon, they were accompanied by the task force to Bangkok and are expected to fly back to HK at 10 p.m. tonight.
Tang stated that he had video-chatted with the six rescued individuals, confirming their safety and good health. They expressed gratitude to all parties involved in the rescue and looked forward to reuniting with their families. Tang emphasized that no ransom was paid as this was a rescue operation.
Since the first quarter of 2024, 28 Hongkongers have been lured to Southeast Asia under false pretenses. With the latest rescue, 25 of them have now been brought to safety, while three remain detained. The government will continue its efforts to rescue them.
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