Thane police have uncovered an international “cyber slavery” racket in which Indian youth were sent to Laos under the pretext of lucrative jobs and forced to work in cyber fraud operations controlled by Chinese nationals, officials said on Wednesday.
One person has been arrested so far, and a case has been registered against him and several others. The racket came to light after police received information that agents based in Mira-Bhayandar, Thane district, had illegally facilitated the travel of a man, Ismail Ibrahim Syed, to Laos via Thailand. He had been promised a well-paying job at an online call centre, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime), Madan Ballal, said.
The Crime Branch team contacted Syed and gained his confidence to gather further details. The investigation revealed that Syed, along with two others, Shaban Ali of Thane and Lucky Ali from Gujarat, were illegally sent from Mumbai to Laos for human trafficking. Once in Laos, the victims were handed over to a Chinese-origin handler who recruited them into a cyber fraud company.
The victims were reportedly coerced into creating online relationships with Indians abroad, gaining their trust, and convincing them to invest in fraudulent schemes. They were subjected to confinement and threats. When they resisted participation, they were warned that their passports would be destroyed and prevented from leaving the premises.
The police have arrested Aamir Sohail Naeem Ahmed from Nayanagar, Thane, believed to be a key local agent in the trafficking network. A case has also been registered against him, along with three other Thane residents identified as Sameer Sheikh, Aamir Khan, and Sagar Gautam Mohite alias Alex alias Chris. Efforts are ongoing to trace them.
Police officials have initiated coordination with central agencies and foreign authorities to rescue other Indian nationals who may have fallen prey to similar rackets in Southeast Asia.
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