The Security Bureau announced today that six Hong Kong residents lured to Myanmar to engage in illegal work have been rescued following a joint rescue operation.
A dedicated task force, consisting of members from the bureau, the Police Force and the Immigration Department, had earlier travelled to the Mae Sot area of Thailand, near its border with Myanmar.
Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung subsequently flew to Thailand yesterday to co-ordinate the operation alongside senior officials from Thailand’s Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Justice, and police.
The six Hong Kong residents, comprising three men and three women all aged between 29 and 44, had been detained in Myanmar for periods ranging from five to seven months. After being rescued, they were sent to Mae Sot by Myanmar’s military. With the assistance of Thai authorities, the Chinese Embassy in the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Chiang Mai, the task force escorted the six from Mae Sot to Bangkok, which they reached this afternoon.
Mr Tang had earlier held a video meeting with the citizens and was pleased to learn that they were safe and in good condition. They expressed gratitude to those who had helped in their rescue and said they looked forward to reuniting with their families in Hong Kong.
Mr Tang thanked all units involved in the joint operation, including the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China; frontline personnel at the Thai-Myanmar border; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, especially the Chinese Embassy in the Kingdom of Thailand and the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Chiang Mai; Thailand’s Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Defence, police and military; relevant authorities in Myanmar; the task force; and the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Bangkok.
Regarding three individuals who have yet to return to Hong Kong, the bureau stressed that it will actively follow up on their cases and strive to facilitate their return as soon as possible.
