Visakhapatnam | Cyber crime police in Visakhapatnam have arrested a Konaseema-based agent for allegedly trafficking unemployed Indian youth to foreign cyber scam centres, where they were coerced into committing online fraud under duress. The arrest follows complaints from victims who were rescued and repatriated with the assistance of the Indian Embassy after being held in exploitative conditions overseas.
The accused, identified as G. Manikanta, was produced before a local court and remanded to judicial custody. Investigators said he acted as a recruitment conduit for organised cybercrime networks operating from countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand (Bangkok) and Laos, where large scam compounds run by Chinese syndicates have come under increasing international scrutiny.
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According to the police, the victims were initially contacted through Telegram, interviewed online, and offered what were projected as legitimate, high-paying data entry or digital services jobs abroad. Once they agreed and travelled overseas, their passports and phones were confiscated, and they were forced to participate in cyber fraud operations targeting victims across multiple countries.
Forced participation in cyber fraud
Officials said the trafficked youth were made to work long hours under constant surveillance, with threats of physical harm, detention or financial penalties if they failed to meet fraud targets. Many were compelled to run investment scams, impersonation frauds and online financial cons using scripted messages and pre-built scam infrastructure.
In one documented case, a youth from Visakhapatnam was trafficked to Myanmar and forced to work in online scam operations until a military raid on the compound in October 2025 led to his rescue. He was subsequently repatriated to India through the Indian diplomatic mission and later filed a complaint with local authorities.
Police said similar accounts were recorded from other victims, who described being held in guarded facilities and denied freedom of movement.
Recruitment model evolving
Investigators noted that organised cybercrime syndicates have altered their recruitment methods in response to enforcement pressure. Instead of directly operating through local agents in India, these networks are increasingly using Indians already based abroad to recruit job seekers back home, offering commissions and monetary inducements for each recruit sent to scam centres.
“This is no longer isolated fraud. It is structured human trafficking linked to cybercrime,” an officer involved in the probe said. “Victims are trapped abroad and forced to become perpetrators under threat.”
Role of diplomatic intervention
Police acknowledged the critical role played by the Indian Embassy in coordinating the rescue and return of trafficked nationals. Complaints lodged after repatriation formed the basis of the case against the accused agent.
Authorities said coordination between state cyber crime units, central agencies and foreign governments has intensified as more such cases come to light.
Growing concern over ‘cyber slavery’
Law enforcement agencies across India have flagged a sharp rise in cases involving “cyber slavery” — a term increasingly used to describe situations where trafficked individuals are forced to conduct digital fraud. Southeast Asia has emerged as a major hub for such operations, with thousands of foreign nationals reportedly trapped in scam compounds.
The Visakhapatnam Cyber Crime Police warned job seekers to exercise extreme caution while responding to overseas employment offers made through social media platforms, messaging apps or unverified recruiters.
Investigation continues
Police said further arrests are likely as the financial and communication trails linked to the racket are analysed. Authorities are also examining whether the accused had links to similar recruitment networks operating in other parts of Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring states.
Officials urged families and potential job seekers to verify overseas employment opportunities through authorised channels and to report suspicious recruitment attempts immediately.
As cybercrime networks become more organised and transnational, law enforcement agencies say the convergence of human trafficking and digital fraud presents a complex challenge that will require sustained international cooperation and stricter monitoring of online recruitment platforms.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
