Ranchi/Jamshedpur: A human trafficking network that lured young men with overseas job offers and forced them into cyber fraud operations in Southeast Asia has been busted, with the CID Cyber Police arresting Sartaj Alam from Azad Nagar in Jamshedpur. He is accused of sending victims to Bangkok, Cambodia and Laos under the pretext of employment.
Arrest based on rescued victims’ testimony
The breakthrough came after three youths from Jharkhand, trafficked to Bangkok in October 2024, were rescued and repatriated by the Ministry of External Affairs. Their statements revealed the recruitment chain and led investigators to the local handler.
Officials said that in the past year, over 1,000 Indian nationals have been rescued from similar scam compounds across Southeast Asia, where they were held and forced to carry out cyber fraud.
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Sent to notorious scam compounds
Probe findings indicate that the victims were transported to the infamous KK Park cyber scam compound in Bangkok. Upon arrival:
- Passports were confiscated
- They were trained to run online scams
- Movement was restricted under constant surveillance
They received no salary and were coerced into working, fitting the pattern of what investigators term “cyber slavery.”
Social media used for fraud operations
Victims were compelled to:
- Create fake social media profiles
- Contact targets in India via WhatsApp and Instagram
- Share links to fraudulent investment apps and phishing websites
The operations were part of organised, cross-border cybercrime networks targeting Indian victims.
Money collected in the name of visas and tickets
Before departure, recruits were made to pay large sums for “visa processing” and travel. Once abroad, they were forced into scam call-centre style operations and allegedly faced threats and physical abuse if they resisted.
Recruitment through local agents and placement fronts
CID officials said the network used local agents and informal placement channels to identify job seekers. Most victims were young adults, though investigators suspect that minors may also have been targeted in some cases.
Authorities are now analysing:
- Financial transactions and money trails
- Call records and digital communications
- Inter-state and international links
More arrests are expected as the wider trafficking and cyber fraud network is mapped.
Rising threat of cyber slavery
Officials described cyber slavery as an emerging hybrid crime combining human trafficking and organised cyber fraud, with several scam compounds operating across Southeast Asia. Victims are treated as bonded labour and forced to defraud people online.
Advisory for job seekers
- Police and cyber experts have urged youth to:
- Verify overseas job offers through official channels
- Check the legitimacy of placement agencies
- Never hand over passports or original documents to agents
- Report suspicious offers to police or cyber helplines immediately
Investigators said the current arrest is only one link in a larger network, and further crackdowns are likely as the probe expands.
