Jharkhand CID Busts Human Trafficking Racket for Cyber 'Slavery' in Southeast Asia

The Jharkhand CID has arrested two agents involved in a human trafficking racket that lured victims with fake job offers in Southeast Asia. The agents were identified as residents of Giridih and Koderma districts. The investigation revealed their collaboration with scam centers in Cambodia and Thailand.

The Jharkhand CID has arrested two agents allegedly involved in trafficking individuals for cyber 'slavery' in Southeast Asian countries, an official statement said on Thursday. The arrests were made on Wednesday in connection with a racket luring victims with fake job offers and forcing them to work in 'scam' centers in Laos and Cambodia, it stated.

The accused were identified as Waseem Khan (29), a resident of Jharkhand's Giridih district, and Yamuna Kumar Rana (29), who hails from Koderma district of the state. The CID swung into action after a series of complaints regarding job opportunities related to data entry and others in Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos, were lodged with the Cyber Crime Police Station in Ranchi.

'The two agents were operating in collusion with Indian and Chinese nationals based out of scam centers in Cambodia. These centers are notorious for exploiting individuals through investment frauds, part-time job frauds, etc.,' the release said.

The CID initiated a detailed investigation by tracking financial transactions and communication networks. 'Coordination was established with the protector of emigrants and the regional passport office. They provided detailed information about unregistered recruitment agents operating in Jharkhand,' the statement added.

Statements from the victims trafficked to Cambodia revealed elaborate details of their trafficking to scam centers and the nature of scam operations in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, and Chiang Rai, Thailand, the release noted.

'Based on the investigation, two agents were arrested from Koderma and Giridih respectively, and evidence was seized linking them to the trafficking ring and their overseas counterparts,' according to the statement.

Passbooks, cheque books related to transactions, mobile numbers, one laptop, one pen drive, bio-data, passport, and visa details of people sent abroad were recovered from their possession, it said.

(With inputs from agencies.)