Thai authorities have uncovered an alleged human trafficking ring in the country of Georgia, where over 100 women, primarily from Thailand, were allegedly enslaved by Chinese gangster for the purpose of illegal egg harvesting.
These women were lured with promises of lucrative surrogacy jobs, only to find themselves subjected to forced medical procedures under deplorable conditions.
The scheme came to light after three Thai women managed to escape and return home.
They recounted being confined in a compound near Tbilisi, where their passports were confiscated, and they were coerced into undergoing monthly egg retrievals.
The extracted eggs were then sold on the ‘black market’ for significant profits. Those who resisted allegedly faced threats and were demanded to pay exorbitant sums for their release.
The Pavena Foundation for Children and Women, a Thai-based NGO, estimates that approximately 100 women remain trapped in similar conditions.
WATCH:
100 women allegedly enslaved in horrific egg-harvesting ring https://t.co/57oMwYEQtZ pic.twitter.com/fuWRyngBsR
— New York Post (@nypost) February 14, 2025
The Mirror reported:
Over 100 trafficked women are believed to be enslaved in the Eurasian country of Georgia, held captive and injected with hormones as part of an extensive egg-harvesting operation run by a group of Chinese gangsters.
Three Thai women were reportedly rescued from the scheme and returned to Thailand on Jan. 30, the Bangkok Post reported. It took prompting from Pavena Hongsakula, the founder of the Thai non-governmental organization (NGO) the Pavena Foundation for Women and Children, prompting the local authorities for anything to happen, however.
Hongsakula told the Bangkok Post that she learned about the women’s enslavement from another victim who had escaped and returned to the Southeast Asian country back in September after she paid the Chinese gang approximately 70,000 baht ($2,053).
The Pavena Foundation for Women and Children estimates that an additional 100 trafficked women remain in Georgia, Reuters reported. The Thai and Georgian authorities are investigating the ring that the NGO alleges exists to harvest human eggs from the Thai women, who are all brought to the South Caucasus country.
The Mirror added that in a press release dated February 6, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the initiation of an investigation into human trafficking based on a communication from Bangkok Interpol.
“Employees of the Central Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, based on a letter received from Bangkok Interpol, launched an investigation under Article 143, part III of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to human trafficking.”
“Up to 70 foreign citizens were interviewed, however none of them, except for 3 Thai women, had any complaints,” the press release added. “The 3 Thai women explained that they no longer wanted to be surrogate mothers and stay at their residential address.”
