Thai women rescued from human-egg harvesting scheme run by Chinese gang in Georgia

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Three Thai women have been rescued after being lured into a human-egg harvesting scheme operated by Chinese gangsters in Georgia, a country in Eastern Europe.

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The Pavena Foundation for Children and Women, a Thai NGO, has urged both the Thai and Chinese governments to take swift action against the gang, which is believed to have trafficked over 100 Thai women under false pretenses.

At a press conference on 3 February, Pavena Hongsakula, the foundation’s founder, revealed details of the victims’ ordeal and the rescue operation.

She said she first learned of the trafficking ring from a Thai woman who had escaped and returned to Thailand in September after paying the gang 70,000 baht (US$2,000).

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This victim informed her that many other Thai women remained trapped in the facility as they could not afford to buy their freedom.

The Thai Foreign Affairs police, under the command of Pol Maj Gen Surapan Thaiprasert, coordinated with Interpol to secure the release of three women, who were repatriated to Thailand on 30 January.

Authorities are continuing their investigation and expect more victims to be identified.

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One of the rescued victims, identified as Na, shared her story via a livestream on the Pavena Foundation’s Facebook page.

She explained that she had come across a job advertisement on Facebook, offering a monthly salary of 400,000 to 600,000 baht (US$11,300 to US$17,000) for surrogacy work in Georgia.

Believing it to be a legitimate opportunity, she applied and was assured that all travel expenses would be covered by her employer.

In August 2023, Na and ten other Thai women departed from U-Tapao International Airport in Thailand.

They were instructed to carry US$500 each to present to immigration officers. Their journey included a stop in Dubai, followed by a three-night stay in Armenia before traveling by train to Georgia.

Victims trapped and forced into illegal egg harvesting under false surrogacy promises

Upon arrival, their passports were confiscated, and they were taken to a compound with four large houses, where more than 100 Thai women were already being held.

Na soon realised that no couples were seeking surrogacy services. Instead, she and the other women were given hormone injections to stimulate their ovaries.

Once a month, they were anesthetised, and their eggs were forcibly harvested. Some women had not received any payment for their participation. The harvested eggs were suspected to have been trafficked internationally for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedures.

Refusing to comply, Na demanded to return to Thailand but was told she had to pay 70,000 baht for her release.

With financial assistance from her family, she managed to leave Georgia and, upon returning to Thailand, alerted the Pavena Foundation. Her report led to the subsequent rescue of three more women.

Thai authorities believe that the trafficking operation is part of a broader transnational network.

Traffickers lured victims through social media with false promises of legal surrogacy jobs

The gang used social media to target Thai women, falsely presenting surrogacy as a legal and highly lucrative profession in Georgia.

However, upon arrival, the women were confined, frequently relocated, and subjected to medical procedures without their consent.

The Pavena Foundation reported that in 2024 alone, 257 Thai nationals fell victim to human traffickers—53 within Thailand and 204 in foreign countries. The foundation has assisted in the rescue of 152 individuals.

Although surrogacy is widely advertised in Georgia, the country currently lacks specific legal regulations governing the practice. The Georgian government has indicated that it is in the process of banning commercial surrogacy.

“I urge the Thai and Chinese governments to take immediate action against this gang and to investigate their smuggling routes into Georgia. Many women are still waiting for government assistance,” Pavena said.



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