Twenty-one Ugandan nationals who were trafficked to Myanmar and forced into hard labor within cybercrime compounds operated by international criminal syndicates are expected to return home next week following months of captivity.
The diplomatic breakthrough was confirmed by Government Spokesperson and Executive Director of the Uganda Media Centre, Allan Kasujja, who revealed that bilateral negotiations between Ugandan and Myanmar authorities are near completion.
According to Kasujja, the victims were enticed with fraudulent promises of lucrative employment in Southeast Asia, only to be smuggled into militarized compounds that state officials describe as modern-day slave camps.
“Negotiations between the Ugandan and Myanmar governments are nearing completion,” Kasujja said, adding that upon release, the victims will be officially handed over to Uganda’s Ambassador to Myanmar, H.E. Betty Bigombe, in Yangon prior to their flight home.
Coerced into Cyber Scams and Daily Targets
The Directorate for Prevention of Trafficking in Persons at the Ministry of Internal Affairs has identified Myanmar as a primary hub for transnational trafficking cartels targeting IT graduates across East Africa.
Recruiter networks frequently advertise well-paying jobs in Thailand, Cambodia, and China. Upon landing, victims are transported covertly into rebel-controlled areas of Myanmar where their passports and mobile devices are confiscated.
Confined to overcrowded dormitories, the captives are forced under threat of violence to execute international online scam operations. Reports indicate that criminal syndicates demand each captive generate up to $10,000 USD daily through cryptocurrency fraud and romance scams.
One victim, Felix Adupe, was released on Thursday and transferred to Edan—a humanitarian non-governmental organization providing medical evaluation and safe custody—according to Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Adonia Ayebare.
Dual Foreign Detainee Crisis
Kasujja also addressed the status of approximately 12 other Ugandans arrested in Zambia in August. The group remains incarcerated on suspicion of involvement in election-related offenses after traveling to Zambia on the eve of polling day.
Repatriation efforts for the Zambian group remain complex due to scattered detention facilities and strict citizenship verification procedures required by consular teams.
In light of the incidents, Kasujja warned citizens to thoroughly vet overseas employment agencies, even when recommended by close relatives or trusted acquaintances.
“Prospective migrant workers should scrutinise job offers, verify employers and ask difficult questions before committing to travel,” Kasujja cautioned, referencing rising risks associated with unverified employment offers in Southeast Asia and Russia.
The upcoming return marks the latest rescue operation conducted by Ugandan authorities in Myanmar, following the repatriation of 23 Ugandans in May 2024 and 26 in May 2025.
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