Panaji: Goa Police have apprehended three individuals linked to an international trafficking gang, including a Kazakhstan national of Chinese descent, who were operating cyber slavery call centers in Southeast Asia.
In this operation, the Indian government successfully rescued 549 Indians who had been trapped in these call centers located in Myanmar. The traffickers enticed their victims with job offers in Thailand, promising a monthly salary of ₹60,000 for work as call center employees. However, upon arrival, the victims were compelled to contact individuals in the USA, persuading them to invest in fraudulent trading companies or to fall victim to honey-trapping scams.
Goa’s Director General of Police (DGP) Alok Kumar stated, “More than 500 Indian citizens, including one from Goa, who were ensnared in cyber slavery call centers along the Thailand-Cambodia border, have been rescued and returned. Following our discussions with one victim, we registered a case and arrested three individuals. The first arrest occurred in Bengaluru. During the questioning of one suspect named Aditya, we identified two other accomplices: Roop Gupta from Mumbai, who operated an illegal agency offering fake job opportunities abroad, and a Kazakhstan national of Chinese origin.”
Kumar further added, “I congratulate the cyber crime team for their swift investigation that led to the capture of the Kazakhstan national as he attempted to leave India. He was detained at Indira Gandhi Airport in Delhi. All three suspects are currently being interrogated.”
He noted, “These individuals appear to be part of a network that lured people with promises of employment overseas, only to force them into work at cyber slavery call centers. Some of these individuals were also seeking to recruit models for honey traps. There are numerous angles to this case, and our investigation is ongoing. We will provide additional updates as we gather more information.” The police have filed a case and are continuing their investigation into the matter.
