Financial worries major factor in Hong Kong migrant workers’ temptation to get involved in money laundering for crime gangs, NGOs say
- NGOs that work with migrants such as domestic helpers say cases of them falling foul of the law have increased fourfold in two years
- Helping agencies urge governments of Hong Kong, the Philippines and Indonesia to do more to stop vulnerable immigrants falling prey to crime syndicates
Agencies helping migrant workers said on Tuesday that such cases had risen fourfold over the past two years and urged authorities in the city and elsewhere to do more to tackle the problem.
“Migrant workers are always in financial crisis and the demands from the family are more than, in many cases, the salary they get,” said Eman Villanueva, the spokesman for the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body.
He added the huge agency fees overseas workers had to pay to come to Hong Kong meant they were in debt from their arrival.
“Most of the salary goes to paying back the agency, so they have very little money,” he said.
“When emergency expenses arise, if they are offered some financial incentives, it’s tempting – they become very vulnerable to such kind of illegal or fraudulent activities.”
