Indian Authorities Rescue 60 Nationals from Cyber Fraud Racket in Cambodia

In a significant operation, Indian authorities have rescued 60 nationals who were fraudulently taken to Cambodia and forced into cyber fraud by trafficking rackets. The Indian Embassy in Cambodia, in collaboration with Sihanoukville authorities, facilitated their transfer to Phnom Penh and is assisting with travel documents and other arrangements for their early return home. This rescue comes amid ongoing efforts to address the plight of approximately 5,000 Indians trapped in inhumane conditions in Cambodia, as highlighted by Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Ravi Shankar Ayyanar.

The victims, lured with promises of data entry jobs in Singapore, were instead trafficked to Cambodia and coerced into committing cyber scams by Chinese handlers. The deceptive recruitment process involved unregistered agents in India sending job seekers via Bangkok or Singapore, where Cambodian agents took over. These individuals were then transported to Poipet, a Thailand-Cambodia border area controlled by Chinese handlers, and subjected to intense training in various cyber frauds, including fake investment schemes and cryptocurrency scams.

In response to these revelations, the Visakhapatnam police arrested three individuals—Chukka Rajesh, S Kondala Rao, and M Jnaneshwar Rao—on human trafficking charges. The police estimate that hundreds of crores of rupees have been siphoned off through such online frauds, with Visakhapatnam alone seeing losses of around 120 crore rupees in the past 12-18 months. This crackdown marks a critical step in combating the extensive human trafficking and cyber fraud network exploiting Indian citizens.

Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright