Woman describes ordeal in Georgian human egg 'farm'

Four Thai women have returned from a human egg 'farm' in Georgia, where more than 100 others may be held captive.

The women were allegedly recruited online to become surrogates in Georgia, as part of a scheme run by a Chinese gang. One of the victims, identified only by the pseudonym 'Na', was able to return to Thailand after paying a ransom. She alerted the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women, who prompted the effort to rescue the remaining women.

Pavena Hongsakula, president of the foundation, explained at a press conference that around 100 Thai women were estimated to be held captive in a housing complex in Tbilisi, Georgia, according to online Thai newspaper, the Nation. She said that the women were recruited as surrogates, but were instead coerced into having their eggs retrieved.

Na told the Nation that she saw a job advertisement on Facebook promising an income of 400,000-600,000 baht (about £9000-£14,000), and was told that the job involved an all-expenses-paid trip to Georgia to be a surrogate. She travelled to Georgia with a group of ten other Thai women.

Na alleged that their passports were confiscated upon arrival, and that the women were held captive and coerced into having their eggs removed every month, for other women to use in IVF. She explained that those who wished to return home had to pay the gang 50,000-70,000 baht (£1200-£1600) to cover their 'travel and living expenses', and that most could not afford to pay.

The Pavena Foundation sought assistance from Thai police, who in turn alerted Interpol, resulting in the safe return of three more women to Thailand. Hongsakula urged the Thai government to coordinate with Chinese authorities to secure the release of the remaining women.

Following the return of the other three women, Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) visited the house in Georgia where the women were found. One of the residents, Nara, denied that anyone was holding her and the other women against their will. 'We have our documents with us, our passports. If we want to leave, we can do so at any time,' she said. 'I don't know why these girls said they were victims of trafficking.'

Nara signed a contract with Chinese Babycam Medical Consulting Group LLC, who pay women for surrogacy in Georgia. Li Yuan, a representative of the group in Georgia, told RFE/RL: 'There is no coercion, including egg retrieval. These women are here only for surrogacy. When the contract is completed, they receive the promised amount and return home.'

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched an investigation into human trafficking. Law enforcement authorities say they have questioned four foreign nationals who brought Thai citizens to Georgia for surrogacy.

'Up to 70 foreign citizens were interviewed, however none of them, except for three Thai women, had any complaints,' the Ministry said in a statement. 'The three Thai women explained that they no longer wanted to be surrogate mothers and stay at their residential address. Law enforcement officers transferred all three women to a shelter for victims of trafficking on the same day, and after completing the relevant legal procedures, they left the country.'

The investigation is ongoing.