A criminal chain to cajole Chinese, especially those with low education levels, to join telecommunication fraud, gambling and even drug trafficking rings abroad, has gone rampant. Lured by promises of big money, some Chinese accept the offers. They sneak into the target countries only to lose their freedom when they arrive. With their passports seized, they are beaten or tortured if they fail to meet the work requirements or try to protest. And they usually end up paying their “employers” to be allowed to resign. To make matters worse, according to Chinese law, their actions abroad, even if coerced, are illegal, so they face fines or jail when they return. Drug trafficking is the most severe violation subject to heavy penalties. Clandestine cross-border trips are also prohibited and the offenders will be sentenced according to China’s Criminal Law.
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