Ahmedabad / Gandhinagar: The Gujarat Police have exposed what investigators describe as one of the most organised cyber-trafficking networks operating out of South and Southeast Asia. At the centre of the racket is 29-year-old Nilesh Purohit, a.k.a. Neel, a.k.a. “The Ghost”—accused of building a transnational pipeline that lured job seekers and forced them into cyber fraud “factory camps” abroad.
According to the police, Purohit faces five FIRs—across Gujarat, Maharashtra and West Bengal—with charges including human trafficking, cheating and cybercrime. Investigators allege the network trapped over 500 victims in less than two years, with operations touching India, Pakistan, China, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.
Airport Arrest Thwarts Escape to Malaysia
On November 16, 2025, acting on a precise tip-off, a Gujarat Police team intercepted Purohit at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad as he allegedly attempted to board an international flight to Malaysia. Officers say minutes either way could have allowed him to slip away—true to his alias, “The Ghost.”
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi announced the arrest the next day. Purohit has since been remanded to judicial custody at Sabarmati Central Jail. The CBI has also opened probes into his suspected role in at least two cases of international cyber slavery.
How the Empire Grew: Dubai On-Ramp, Pakistan–China Connect
Investigators say Purohit’s trajectory changed in early 2024, when he moved to Dubai on a placement arranged by an agent and joined a firm that allegedly fronted cyber-criminal activity. In Dubai, he reportedly established working links with Pakistani and Chinese agents, gaining exposure to the global “cyber-slavery” supply chain.
Soon after, he travelled to Thailand, crossed illegally into Myanmar, and spent time inside operational hubs where mass-scale cyber fraud is orchestrated. One of the sites he allegedly visited: the notorious KK Park in Myawaddy Township, widely flagged by authorities as a hub where trafficked workers are coerced into online scams.
The Model: Recruit, Funnel, Coerce
Police say Purohit set up a base in Bangkok and engineered a route familiar to scam cartels: Bangkok → Tak (north Thailand) → jungle trek → boat across the Moei/Thaungyin River → Myawaddy (Myanmar). From there, victims were ferried to camps like KK Park.
Back in India, Purohit allegedly built a 126-strong sub-agent network, with outreach to 30+ Pakistani agents and links to 100+ Chinese and other foreign companies at the demand end. The sourcing pitch was simple and effective: “easy data-entry/customer support jobs abroad, good pay, accommodation provided.” Recruitment ran primarily on WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, and Instagram, amplified by word-of-mouth in small towns.
The Economics: Up to ₹3.96 Lakh per Head, Crypto Trails
For every victim “supplied,” Purohit allegedly earned a commission ranging from ₹1.76 lakh to ₹3.96 lakh, investigators say. He purportedly moved funds through mule bank accounts and multiple crypto wallets (including more than five Binance wallets) to obscure the trail. The money flow, police add, matched rising movement of recruits from October 2024 onward, when the first trafficking from Gujarat via Thailand to Myanmar is believed to have occurred.
Inside KK Park: Contracts, Fines, and Fear
Once in Myawaddy, victims were allegedly forced to sign two-year contracts. Exiting early meant paying ₹3.5–₹5 lakh—a “fine” designed to be prohibitive. Those who resisted were subjected to physical and mental harassment, officers say. The work menu was typical of cyber-fraud factories: phishing, crypto cons, Ponzi schemes, investment and romance scams, with victims made to contact targets worldwide.
Many survivors remain too traumatised to file formal complaints; in several instances, police themselves have lodged FIRs on behalf of the State.
Cracks in the Chain: Sub-Agents Lead to the ‘Ghost’
The Gujarat Police say simultaneous intelligence streams converged in November: on November 5, alleged sub-agent Hitesh Arjan Somaiya (Porbandar) was arrested for trafficking 12 youths to Myanmar; on November 13, Sonal Faldu (Junagadh) was picked up based on victim testimonies. Both, investigators claim, named Purohit as the handler above them. At least 22 youths from Gujarat have been directly linked to trafficking by Purohit; confirmations from other states and countries are ongoing.
Repatriations and Regional Pushback
Over the last three years, coordinated efforts by India, Thailand and Myanmar have helped repatriate over 4,000 Indian citizens from scam compounds like KK Park. Myanmar authorities have conducted repeated crackdowns under international pressure; many detainees fled the sites during raids, a large proportion of them Indians.
What Comes Next: A Wider Net, Policy Questions
The probe has widened to map financial flows, crypto pathways and cross-border facilitation. Investigators say the case underscores an urgent policy challenge: online criminality is borderless, logistics are agile, and recruitment thrives on social-media micro-targeting. Expect deeper cooperation between Indian agencies and regional partners as authorities try to dismantle the demand side and prosecute supply-chain intermediaries.
As one senior officer put it, “This isn’t just cybercrime; it is the most predatory face of modern human trafficking, powered by the internet and monetised through crypto.”
