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Residents of a small Laotian town dug a tunnel to help a group of Malaysian victims escape a job scam syndicate that was holding them captive
The group consisted of eight Malaysians who got together and decided that four of them should try to escape in the hopes that they would return and bring help to free the others still held captive, reported Free Malaysia Today.
Four of them ended up escaping through a tunnel that villagers helped to dig before the group was transported to Myanmar to be sold.
One of the Malaysians who fled through the tunnel, Khoo (not his real name), 34, shared with the media the horrifying experience he had to endure while imprisoned.
Image for illustration purposes only.
Image via Wikimedia Commons
Khoo explained that his kidnappers had warned the victims that they would be hurt if they tried to flee.
To set an example, the abductors thrashed a Chinese national in front of the other victims until his arms and legs were broken and his head was split open.
Another victim, Danny (not his real name), 35, said he would do anything to return to Malaysia and hug his wife. He was so intent on his goal that he was willing to risk death if necessary.
After eight months of being held captive, he was reunited with his wife and three-year-old child on Tuesday, 4 October.
“Seeing my wife and children and my whole family, I am truly happy. If no one had helped, we would have died there,” said Danny.
The fate of the other four victims who were not chosen to escape through the tunnel was unknown, except for Lee (not his real name).
Image via Free Malaysia Today
Lee, 28, was not chosen as he was bigger than the others and couldn’t fit through the tunnel. Lee eventually fell sick and was hospitalised.
While he was in the hospital, Lee planned his escape with the help of locals, but was almost caught in the process.
“It was my only chance to run. If I hadn’t, I would have died. I am the biggest (in size) in the group. Even they did not think I could escape. I was very lucky,” said Lee.
On Tuesday, 4 October, the Malaysians were finally reunited with their loved ones at KLIA.
After their return to Malaysia, the Chinese gangster behind the job scam scheme put a 1 million yuan (RM650,000) bounty on their heads, reported Sin Chew.