Mumbai, October 2025 – The Mira-Bhayander-Vasai-Virar (MBVV) Police have uncovered an international cyber slavery network operating between India, Thailand, and Myanmar, leading to the arrest of two key accused. The racket allegedly lured Indian youths with promises of lucrative overseas jobs and then forced them into cybercrime operations under inhumane conditions.
Job Offers Turned into Nightmare Abroad
According to MBVV Police officials, several young men from Mira-Bhayander were duped with promises of high-paying jobs in Thailand. Once they reached Bangkok, they were secretly transported across the border to Myanmar, where they were coerced into working for fraudulent cyber companies involved in global cryptocurrency scams.
The victims, identified as Sayyad Hussain and Amar Lakdawala, were made to work at a company named UU8, allegedly operated by a Chinese national named Leo and an Indian associate named Steve Anna. Their main task was to use social media to target Indian nationals, gain their trust, and lure them into investing in fake Bitcoin and cryptocurrency apps.
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Victims Held Hostage, Forced to Pay for Freedom
Police investigations revealed that once the victims realized the true nature of the operation and demanded to return home, they were confined, beaten, and threatened.
“They were told to pay ₹6 lakh each for their release,” said a senior police officer. “After paying the ransom, the two managed to secure their freedom and return to India.”
On their return, the victims approached the Mira-Bhayander Police and lodged a complaint detailing their harrowing experience. The police subsequently registered an FIR against eight accused persons for cheating, human trafficking, and criminal conspiracy.
Key Arrests and Money Trail
Acting swiftly, a team from the MBVV crime branch apprehended Asif Khan alias Nepali, a resident of Naya Nagar, Mira-Bhayander, and Rohit Mardhana, from Visakhapatnam, who was later arrested in Surat.
“Rohit accepted ₹6 lakh from the victims and transferred it to the kingpins based abroad,” said the investigating officer. “These funds were part of the ransom demanded by the syndicate for the victims’ release.”
The police believe the duo worked as recruiting agents and intermediaries, responsible for identifying vulnerable job seekers and forwarding them to international handlers. Investigations are ongoing to trace the foreign operatives involved in the scam.
Expanding Cyber Slavery Network Under Scanner
Officials suspect that the Mira-Bhayander case is part of a larger human trafficking and cybercrime nexus spanning India, Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
“We are coordinating with Interpol and central agencies to trace the masterminds operating from foreign soil,” an MBVV police spokesperson said. “Preliminary evidence suggests that hundreds of Indians may have been trapped in similar operations.”
The arrests mark a major step in cracking down on cyber slavery networks—where individuals are trafficked and forced to conduct online scams under threat. Police have urged citizens to verify job offers abroad and report suspicious recruiters to prevent such exploitation.
