Three people have been arrested for human trafficking after they allegedly lured Thai women to work as sex workers in the United Arab Emirates, says the Department of Special Investigations (DSI).
The suspects, whose names were not released by authorities, were arrested last Wednesday -- one in Chon Buri and the others in Ubon Ratchathani -- on warrants issued by the Criminal Court. They have been remanded in the custody of the court.
Following their arrest, the suspects were charged with colluding to violate anti-human trafficking regulations and detaining and/or depriving others of their freedom.
Deputy director-general of the DSI, Supat Thamthanarug, said the suspects told their victims they would be working as masseuses in the emirate, promising them attractive pay and assuring the work wouldn't involve sex.
Pol Lt Col Supat said the women were required to sign an agreement before they set off for the UAE, which outlined the legal repercussions of failing to re-pay the fees incurred in sending them to the emirate.
Upon arriving in the UAE, the victims said they were immediately taken to a massage parlour in Dubai, where their passports were taken away by the Chinese owner. Some of the women were taken to a brothel in the capital, Abu Dhabi, he said.