Recently, a "familiar notice" has reappeared on the bulletin boards of many communities nationwide: "If you have family members who have not returned from key countries for a long time, please contact the property management to cooperate with the investigation." This round of thorough investigations, led by local political and legal committees, is quietly unfolding, targeting Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, Laos, Malaysia, the UAE, Turkey, and other "high-incidence areas of gray industries."
This operation seems mild, but it is actually a key part of the nationwide efforts to combat telecommunications fraud, cross-border gambling, and illegal crime zones. It specifically targets those who have gone abroad to work but have completely lost contact, especially those who are disconnected from their families, have limited communication, and have not returned from overseas.
Over the years, many people have been lured by advertisements promising "tens of thousands a month" and "high overseas salaries" to smuggle or leave the country illegally, only to fall into chains of fraud, money laundering, and online gambling. Some were supposed to work in cold storage but were forced into scamming; others planned to work as translators but ended up as prisoners in camps. As the truth continues to be exposed, anxious families are seeking confirmation of the investigation, asking: "Has something happened?"
According to insiders, this round of actions primarily uses "warm appeals" and avoids a "one-size-fits-all" approach, but the attitude is clear: "Advise where necessary, investigate where needed." It calls for those stranded abroad to return home and cut off the sources of risk themselves.
A community office worker put it bluntly: "Don't let your family live in fear; no matter how lucrative the gray industry is, it's not worth your freedom and future."
Currently, streets and communities across the country have begun investigations, with property management WeChat groups frequently reminding: "If your relatives are in key countries, please cooperate with the information registration, don't wait until it's too late to return or settle accounts."