A man wanted in multiple cybercrime cases, including cyber slavery, digital arrest scams and online cheating, has been arrested by the West Zone Cyber Crime police after arriving at Chennai International Airport from Cambodia. The arrest comes after a search that lasted more than 2 years.
The accused, 33-year-old B. Ilavarasan from Karur, was taken into custody on Tuesday after a Look Out Circular (LOC) had been issued against him. He has been remanded to judicial custody. Police seized his passport, foreign work permit, Cambodian currency and a mobile phone during the operation.
The investigation began with a complaint filed by M.K. Ezhilvani, 59, from Kolathur. In February 2024, fraudsters allegedly posing as Delhi Customs and police officials told her she was connected to a parcel containing passports, ATM cards and MDMA and was also linked to a money laundering case. Fearing arrest, she transferred Rs. 2.96 lakh to an HDFC Bank account in Anthiyur, Erode.
During the investigation, police arrested Prema and Bala alias Balakrishnan in 2024. Further inquiries identified Ilavarasan as an alleged agent working for Chinese-operated scam centres in Cambodia. Investigators said he arranged Indian bank accounts and lured job seekers from Tamil Nadu with promises of computer-related jobs before forcing them into cyber fraud operations.
Police also said Ilavarasan is wanted in several cyber slavery and cheating cases registered across Tamil Nadu. The arrest is expected to support ongoing investigations into cross-border cybercrime networks and online fraud operations.
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