NEW DELHI, Nov 28: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out extensive searches at 22 locations across six states on Thursday as part of a significant crackdown on an international human trafficking syndicate. The case, registered under RC-10/2024/NIA/DLI, involves serious charges under sections 418, 419, 420, 370, 374, and 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Sources have indicated that the case has international links spanning multiple countries, including Myanmar and Laos. The trafficking syndicate is alleged to have lured youth from Bihar’s Gopalganj district with false promises of high-paying jobs abroad. However, upon arriving in foreign countries, the victims were reportedly held hostage in fake call centres and forced to participate in cyber fraud activities, including cryptocurrency scams and call centre fraud.
Keshav Singh, the owner of M.K. Training Centre, was previously arrested for his role in the trafficking network. The FIR filed in the case outlines how the syndicate trafficked Indian youth under the guise of employment opportunities, only to coerce them into working for criminal operations. The NIA’s investigation has traced the syndicate’s ties to cyber-scam centres in Myanmar and Laos, where hundreds of Indian nationals were exploited.
The Indian Embassy in Laos has been actively involved in rescuing victims, with 635 Indians successfully repatriated from such centres this year. This includes the rescue of 61 Indians in August and 13 others in May, including seven workers from Odisha. The embassy has repeatedly warned about fraudulent job offers abroad, which often disguise themselves as legitimate employment opportunities, such as “Digital Sales and Marketing Executives” or “Customer Support Service” roles, which are actually fronts for cybercrime operations.
Agents operating in cities like Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, and various Indian locations facilitate these scams, promising high salaries, visa assistance, and travel arrangements. The NIA’s latest searches are expected to provide further evidence of the syndicate’s activities, with more arrests anticipated in the coming days. Authorities have urged citizens to exercise caution and thoroughly verify any job offers abroad to avoid falling victim to these fraudulent schemes.
