Trio nabbed for trafficking women to Benin

Two Thai women and a Chinese man have been arrested for allegedly being a part of a human trafficking network that tricked Thai women into prostituting themselves in the West African nation of Benin.
Piyanutta Poowiangkaew, 39, was apprehended at a dormitory in tambon Khlong Preng of Muang district in Chachoengsao on Tuesday.Wiyada Pahurat, 35 and Chinese national Li Yong, 41, were caught at Suvarnabhumi airport as they were clearing immigration the same day, said Pol Maj Gen Saruti Kwaengsopa, commander of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division.
The three face charges of human trafficking, involvement in prostitution, being members of a crime organisation and misleading people into leaving the country.
The arrests came after six individuals filed a complaint with anti-trafficking police on Oct 12 last year, claiming they had been victims of the gang.
The complainants said they received job offers via the TikTok video hosting service to work at a Thai massage spa in Benin. After arriving in the African country, they were forced to work as prostitutes instead.
The victims said they would be tortured if they resisted. In addition, they were not paid for their services initially, as the gang claimed they had to cover their travel costs.
Following the complaints, Pol Maj Gen Saruti launched an investigation that succeeded in identifying the three suspects.
He said Ms Piyanutta was responsible for contacting potential victims on TikTok. Ms Wiyada and Mr Yong, who are married, sent them overseas and forced them to provide sex services. The three have denied the charges, according to police.