Surveillance Satellites Expose Human Trafficking 'Compounds'

Satellite images provided by Maxar Technologies are being used by the International Justice Mission (IJM) to monitor human trafficking hotspots, particularly in Southeast Asia. The images help track the growth of "compounds" where people are forced to work as online scammers. Border towns in Myanmar, such as Shwe Kokko and Lay Kay Kaw, have been accused of hosting gambling and entertainment complexes involved in human rights violations. The United Nations has tracked at least 225,000 human trafficking victims globally in the past 20 years, with women and those in conflict areas being the most vulnerable. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has pledged action on the issue and recognizes the role of technology in facilitating transnational criminal activities. Satellite data is also used to detect human trafficking in deforested areas of the Amazon rainforest.