The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reported that 17 more Sri Lankans have been forcibly recruited into cybercrime operations in Myanmar.
According to the ministry, a group of Sri Lankans who had traveled on tourist visas in search of employment opportunities have been exploited and forced into cybercrime activities.
The operations are taking place in an area on the Myanmar–Thailand border, identified on Google Maps as the Cyber Criminal Area. This zone, located about 25 kilometers from the city of Myawaddy, is entirely controlled by a terrorist group.
Previously, another group of Sri Lankans who had been similarly forced into cybercrime in the same area were released after significant diplomatic and humanitarian efforts.
The ministry further warned that Sri Lankan youth traveling abroad on tourist visas with the hope of securing computer-related jobs risk falling victim to such criminal networks.
