In early February 2025, three Thai women were rescued from a human egg trafficking operation in the country of Georgia, where they had been held against their will by a Chinese crime syndicate. Lured by promises of high-paying surrogacy work, the women came to Georgia only to find themselves trapped, with their passports taken away and their freedom restricted. Reports suggest that nearly 100 other women may still be held in similar conditions.
“I think there are a lot of concerns, especially being my age and a woman, that I have, just being in America,” FHS senior Cavel Nelson said. “Seeing headlines like this, it’s just another reason why I feel like I have to take precautions and make sure I’m always putting myself in safe environments because you never know what can happen, especially with human trafficking, even in the US.”
While it is important to be vigilant, the targets of these schemes are usually poor women in developing countries.
The Thai victims had initially responded to online advertisements offering high salaries and an all-expenses-paid trip to Georgia for what they believed was legal surrogacy work. According to the job listing, they would receive 25,000 Thai baht (around $737 USD) per month, for donating eggs to couples struggling with infertility.
However, in reality, the women were confined to crowded human egg trafficking facilities, where they were subjected to forced hormone treatments to increase egg production. These eggs were then allegedly harvested while the women were under anesthesia for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) purposes. Unable to seek help, the women remained trapped until one of them managed to buy her freedom by paying a ransom of 70,000 baht, around $2,063 USD. She reached out to the Pavena Hongsakul Foundation for Children and Women, a Thai nonprofit organization that assists survivors of trafficking. Thai authorities, in collaboration with Interpol and law enforcement in Georgia, then launched an operation that led to the rescue of the three women.
Despite global efforts to combat human trafficking, many cases still go undetected. Traffickers frequently target vulnerable individuals, particularly in industries like domestic work, hospitality and fertility services.
“I think it’s very disturbing in the way that it’s a scam that was specifically targeted towards women, especially because I think it’s a very personal and invasive type of abuse as well,” FHS junior Rotem Ben David said. “It’s really difficult to hear that these are the types of things that are happening around the world.”
With limited regulations on the global reproductive industry, traffickers can exploit desperate individuals who may be seeking economic opportunities. Surrogacy in itself is already a highly controversial topic, as women in poverty are more likely to be taken advantage of in the industry due to financial difficulties and a lack of options. The rescue of these three women is an important development, but the issue of human trafficking remains widespread.
