Traffickers Target the Desperate: Zimbabweans Lured to Myanmar and Other Danger Zones

Zimbabweans are being lured into trafficking networks and forced-labour cyber-fraud centres in Myanmar, as online recruitment scams expose gaps in regulation, enforcement and victim protection (image source)

A surge in online recruitment scams is drawing desperate Zimbabweans into transnational trafficking networks, with victims reportedly being lured as far as Myanmar and trapped in forced-labour cyber-fraud compounds. Rights groups say recruiters are becoming increasingly sophisticated, using social media, family referrals and bogus agencies to transport people through irregular routes before funnelling them into exploitative conditions.

The Centre for Human Trafficking (CHT) says traffickers advertise inflated salaries and legitimate-seeming contracts, only for recruits to discover on arrival that they have been deceived. Community leaders in rural areas report families who signed relatives up for “overseas jobs” only to lose contact shortly afterwards — a pattern consistent with regional cases in which victims, promised teaching or hospitality jobs, were stranded or detained abroad.

The crisis extends beyond Zimbabwe. Recent reports highlighted dozens of South Africans trapped in Myanmar after falling victim to trafficking networks and being forced into cyber-fraud operations. Survivors describe isolation, intimidation, confiscated passports and armed guards at compounds, prompting international NGOs to coordinate repatriation efforts and trace routes used by criminal syndicates.

Investigations into Myanmar’s scam centres reveal sprawling forced-labour hubs controlled by organised crime. Escapees report gruelling shifts, confiscated documents, threats and physical abuse — exposing the severe dangers posed by unverified overseas job offers. Analysts link the rise of such centres to regional instability, digital recruitment channels and weak cross-border enforcement.

Zimbabwe’s anti-trafficking response remains mixed. Recent assessments indicate gaps in legislation, funding, intelligence coordination and victim support, weakening the country’s ability to prevent and prosecute trafficking cases. Experts say stronger regulation of recruitment agencies, broader awareness campaigns, expanded victim-support services and more robust regional law-enforcement cooperation are essential to reduce vulnerability.

“They promise a new life; families are left with questions when calls stop,” a community leader said.

Observers emphasise the need for tighter oversight, transparent recruitment processes and improved cross-border intelligence sharing to confront a trafficking crisis fuelled by organised crime and digital exploitation.