Sixteen Mozambican nationals who were trafficked to Laos and subjected to forced labour have been rescued and repatriated, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on Friday.
The group, comprising two women and 14 men, had been lured with false promises of monthly wages exceeding 100,000 meticais (about $1,565). Instead, they were forced into harsh work in coal mines and bamboo cutting in remote areas, with their passports confiscated to prevent escape.
“While many never received any wages, those who were paid earned only a fraction of what they had been promised,” the IOM said in a statement.
Some of the victims had been stranded in Laos since mid-2024, while others had been trapped since early 2025.
Mozambique’s government confirmed it is working with the IOM and Laotian authorities to trace at least seven more citizens believed to still be in similar conditions of exploitation in the Southeast Asian country.
Despite Mozambique’s natural resource wealth, widespread poverty and limited employment opportunities continue to drive many citizens to seek jobs abroad—making them vulnerable to trafficking and labour exploitation.
