Four suspects connected to the human trafficking ring were arrested in May. — Photo cand.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — Many Vietnamese women have been rescued from human trafficking networks in Bokeo Province in Laos over the past few years.

The Hà Tĩnh Border Guard, working closely with the Blue Dragon Organisation and Laotian provincial governments, spearheaded the operations.

Hạnh and Liên, two of the rescued victims, were just 13 when their lives took a dark turn. Born into a poor family in Lào Cai Province, they were lured away in 2020 by a well-dressed woman who offered them gifts and promised them a fun-filled trip to Lào Cai City.

Instead, they were taken across the border into China, where they were locked in a small room for six days before being transported to Myanmar. The nightmare began when they were forced into sex exploitation, working day and night without pay. Resistance meant brutal beatings.

"Every time I was tortured to exhaustion, I would take a razor blade and cut my arm", said Liên, tears welling up. "If it still hurt, I knew I was alive, I knew there was still a way home."

Sold through three countries, from China to Myanmar, then to Bokeo in Laos, the girls were finally rescued in May 2024. Setting foot at Cầu Treo Border Gate to return home, they were filled with joy as their lives turned a new page.

Ngân is another victim whose story is one of abduction, forced labour and resilience.

Two years ago, while out with a friend in HCM City, she was abducted by a group of strangers, blindfolded and taken to Cambodia where she was forced into sex exploitation.

Despite her family's relentless efforts to find her, she was sold across three countries — Cambodia, Myanmar, and finally Laos. Each day felt like an eternity, filled with despair and longing for home.

When an opportunity arose, she sent a plea for help to the Hà Tĩnh Border Guard Command. Her message was received, and her path home was finally paved. She was rescued in April 2024.

"Being able to return home has given my life new meaning," said Ngân. "Thinking back to the years of torture and exploitation sends shivers down my spine."

Khánh, a 30-year-old woman from Bến Tre Province, was lured by a message she saw online.

It read: "Sitting at home typing on the computer, you can earn VNĐ50 million (US$2,000) monthly."

She fell prey to such a scheme in 2019.

Promised a lucrative job abroad, she was instead trafficked into China, and then Laos, where she was trained in scamming, becoming a tool for her captors.

Despite being provided with necessities, her life was far from comfortable.

"I was beaten and forced to work between 14 to 20 hours a day, with no pay," Khánh recalled. "Resistance only led to more severe punishment, including electric shocks."

Escape attempts proved futile. The heavily guarded compound, with its omnipresent surveillance cameras, made leaving impossible.

To survive, she joined the ranks of online scammers. Her jobs involved creating fake accounts, luring in targets, and coercing them into depositing money into online gambling apps.

Khánh was fortunate to be rescued and returned home, unlike many others who have tried to escape but failed to make it to Việt Nam.

"There are victims who escaped, but halfway through their journey, they were caught again and taken back to Bokeo," a border guard officer revealed. "We are still trying to locate them, but there is no information yet."

Trafficking rings in Bokeo are run by heavily armed criminals. Their network of fortified compounds is virtually inaccessible to outsiders.

Bokeo's unique legal landscape further hinders authorities' ability to conduct investigations. With scores of compounds in the region, locating and rescuing victims is a daunting task.

Rescuing victims from Bokeo is a high-stakes endeavour, demanding quick thinking, skill and unwavering courage. According to border officials, rescue operations often involve undercover infiltration to the compounds, where they gather crucial intelligence while facing immense danger.

Nguyễn Phi Hùng, a seasoned soldier of the Hà Tĩnh Border Guard, revealed that these missions can stretch for weeks, requiring immense patience and caution.

"Every rescue is a victory," he said, "but the fight is far from over."

Many victims remain trapped, and some are even recaptured before reaching safety.

In May, a joint operation led to the dismantling of a major trafficking ring in Bokeo, rescuing 36 Vietnamese citizens. The investigation exposed the ringleaders' ties to a Chinese criminal organisation that lured victims with false job promises.

Despite this success, the scale of the problem remains significant. Hà Tĩnh Border Guard statistics indicate that 93 victims have been rescued since 2023, with a staggering 75 rescued from Bokeo in 2024, the highest number in recent years.

The fight against human trafficking in this notorious region continues, with officers like Hùng risking their lives to bring hope to those trapped in the shadows. — VNS