The government in liaison with the Government of Laos and International Organization for Migration (IOM) has rescued 24 East Africans from trafficking cartels in Laos.
According to the ministry of foreign affairs, 22 are Kenyans, with a Ugandan and a Burundian.
They are now under the care of different State agencies as more are feared to be trapped in Myanmar.
“The 24 East Africans (22 Kenyans, 1 Burundian and 1 Ugandan) have since returned home with the help of HAART Kenya and the IOM Lao PDR,” the Ministry of foreign affairs said on Friday.
The government says the incident reflects the widening network of cartels who are taking advantage of joblessness and vulnerability of Kenyans.
“The cartels are now venturing into other parts of the world, particularly Africa and South Asia, luring a new breed of victims,” stated the ministry.
The ministry further suspects that the cartels are achieving their deals through established local networks and gangs which are helping them to lure victims and transport them through various countries.
The ministry observed that the most targeted group are the young and techno-savvy individuals, well-educated, computer literate, and multilingual.
The government has warned Kenyans from falling preys of online job adverts with promising salaries.
“The government once again, warns Kenyans to stop applying for online jobs that are advertised in South East Asia without authenticating them, as this exposes them to dangers including the possibility of losing body organs,” the ministry noted.
The victims told authorities that they were duped to go for hospitality and teaching jobs only to end up trapped.
Kenya, Uganda and Burundi have no embassies in Laos, the rescue was coordinated through Bangkok.