The Evolving Landscape of Money Laundering: A Closer Look at the UAE's Role. An article in Vice focuses on the important issue of money laundering. In the relentless pursuit to combat organized crime, authorities are finding that merely "following the money" is no longer sufficient. The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) highlights the challenges posed…

Filipina Woman Abandons UAE Plans Citing Human Trafficking Concerns. In a recent case a Filipina, using the alias Nina, bound for Hong Kong raised alarm bells when she confessed to being illegally recruited and revealed her intention to work as a household helper in the UAE. Scheduled for a four-day trip to Hong Kong and…

Forced into Crime: Trafficking Survivors in Thailand Tell Their Stories. Ahmad, a skilled IT professional in Indonesia, fell victim to a fraudulent scheme promising a lucrative job in online marketing in Thailand. Unaware of the deceit, he found himself forcibly taken across the Thailand-Myanmar border. Exploiting the economic impact of COVID-19 and the turmoil in…

Child prostitution thrives in Thailand. Despite a revival in Thailand's tourism industry after the pandemic, a darker resurgence has accompanied it—the notorious sex tourism industry, fueling child sex trafficking. A 2014 UNAIDS report revealed that Thailand had over 123,530 female and 18,239 male sex workers in 2010, with nearly 40% being children in 2007. Impoverished…

Human trafficking: Philippine president urges increased action. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the President of the Philippines, has directed the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (Iacat) to intensify their endeavors against human trafficking. This action aims to uphold the country's Tier 1 classification, the highest designation conferred by the US State Department. As per Malacaang, the President intends…

From Ancient Chains to Modern Shadows. Tracing Slavery's Legacy in the UAE. The story of slavery continues to reverberate through time, manifesting itself in new and disturbing ways in the modern era. While the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stands as a beacon of progress and wealth, it has also gained the unfortunate distinction of being…