The National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out extensive searches at 22 locations in six states on Thursday as part of a major crackdown on an international human trafficking syndicate.
The case, registered under RC-10/2024/NIA/DLI, involves charges under sections 418, 419, 420, 370, 374, and 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Sources indicate that the case has international links spanning multiple countries, including Myanmar and Laos. The syndicate allegedly lured youth from Bihar's Gopalganj district with false promises of lucrative jobs abroad. Upon arriving in foreign countries, victims were reportedly held hostage in fake call centres and forced into cyber fraud activities.
The owner of M.K. Training Centre, Keshav Singh, was previously arrested for his involvement in the trafficking network. The FIR highlights that the syndicate trafficked Indian youth abroad under the guise of employment opportunities, only to coerce them into working for cybercrime operations.
The NIA's investigation has revealed ties to cyber-scam centres in Myanmar and Laos. These operations have exploited hundreds of Indian nationals, forcing them into fraudulent schemes such as cryptocurrency scams and call centre fraud.
More details of the crackdown are awaited.
The Indian Embassy in Laos has rescued 635 Indians from such centres this year, issuing repeated warnings about fraudulent job offers abroad. In August, 61 Indians were rescued, while earlier in May, 13 others, including seven workers from Odisha, were repatriated.
Fraudulent job offers are often advertised for roles like "Digital Sales and Marketing Executives" or "Customer Support Service." These positions are fronts for scam operations. Agents operating from cities like Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, and various Indian locations facilitate these scams, promising high salaries, visa assistance, and travel arrangements.
The NIA's searches are expected to yield further evidence against the syndicate, with more arrests likely in the coming days. Authorities have urged citizens to remain vigilant and verify job offers abroad to avoid falling prey to such schemes.
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