Meerut | The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into a suspected human trafficking and cyber fraud network linked to Cambodia, with sustained questioning of Meerut-based individuals Aleeq Raza and Shubham Chaudhary. The agency is examining the case through the lens of money laundering and is probing the possibility of a wider transnational syndicate operating across India and Southeast Asia.
According to ED officials, preliminary findings suggest that the alleged network was involved in luring individuals with promises of lucrative overseas employment opportunities in Cambodia. Once they reached the destination, several Indian nationals were reportedly coerced into participating in cyber fraud operations and other illegal activities against their will.
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Investigators believe the operation was not limited to recruitment or travel facilitation alone, but was supported by a structured financial ecosystem. This system allegedly helped in layering and disguising proceeds of crime through multiple channels to project them as legitimate income.
Sources indicated that the ED action is based on an earlier case and charge sheet filed by the Delhi Police. Acting on this, the agency initiated proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and has significantly expanded its scrutiny of bank accounts, property records, and financial transactions linked to the accused.
Aleeq Raza and Shubham Chaudhary are accused of playing a key role in facilitating the movement of individuals abroad under false promises of employment. Investigations have further revealed that several victims were allegedly forced into cyber fraud activities after reaching Cambodia, despite not consenting to such work.
Two separate ED teams conducted searches and questioning at the residence of Aleeq Raza in the Mawana area and at Shubham Chaudhary’s residence in the Sandhan locality of Meerut. During these operations, officials examined financial documents, property records, and multiple bank accounts belonging to the accused and their family members.
Officials said there is suspicion that proceeds generated through illegal activities may have been transferred to accounts belonging to relatives or close associates, prompting a wider probe into linked beneficiaries and financial flows.
The investigation has also indicated that the network could be part of a larger syndicate operating between India and Cambodia, allegedly combining human trafficking with cyber-enabled financial crimes. Authorities suspect that several victims may have been held in controlled environments and forced into online scam operations.
The ED is now working to identify the broader ecosystem behind the operation, including recruitment agents, financial handlers, and possible international coordinators. Digital transactions, communication records, and asset trails are being closely analysed to map the full extent of the network.
Officials said the case is being treated not merely as a localized criminal operation but as a potential international trafficking and fraud module with multi-state and cross-border linkages.
At present, questioning of both accused individuals is ongoing. Investigators expect that further interrogation, along with analysis of financial and digital evidence, may help uncover additional individuals and operational links connected to the alleged syndicate.
ED officials emphasized that digital forensic data and banking records are likely to play a crucial role in establishing the complete structure of the network and identifying the ultimate beneficiaries of the alleged illegal proceeds.
