Cyber Crime
Telangana Cyber Bureau Urges MHA: Tighten Travel Checks to Stop Southeast Asia Cyber Slavery
Hyderabad: The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) is set to write to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), requesting the inclusion of Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia in the Emigration Check Required (ECR) category. These countries have emerged as hotspots for cyber slavery and human trafficking, yet they currently fall under the Emigration Check Not Required (ENR) category, allowing unrestricted travel for Indian citizens.
Unlike Gulf nations such as the UAE, which mandate emigration checks for passport holders with qualifications below matriculation (SSC), Southeast Asian countries like Thailand remain outside this regulatory framework. This lack of oversight has made job seekers vulnerable to exploitation, as many are lured with fraudulent job offers and later forced into cyber fraud operations.
Growing Trend of Cyber Trafficking
Investigations indicate that traffickers are using airports in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, and Bhubaneswar to facilitate the movement of victims to Thailand, from where they are further transported to Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos. The victims, often promised lucrative job opportunities, find themselves trapped in organized cybercrime networks, facing severe human rights violations.
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Travel data from official sources revealed a sharp rise in passenger movement to Bangkok, with 48,000 travelers in 2023 increasing to 78,000 in 2024. Most of these travelers hold visit visas, making it difficult for immigration authorities to differentiate between genuine tourists and those being trafficked for cyber scams. Agents typically arrange visit visas to Thailand before facilitating illegal work permits in border areas of Cambodia and Laos, where fraudulent operations thrive.
Proposed Measures for Prevention
To curb cyber trafficking, TGCSB has proposed the following measures:
- Inclusion of high-risk Southeast Asian countries in the ECR category to regulate outbound migration.
- Establishment of a dedicated desk at airports to profile and identify travelers heading to trafficking-prone destinations.
- Distribution of awareness materials, including posters and pamphlets, at Shamshabad Airport in collaboration with GMR services.
However, immigration officials have cited manpower shortages as a challenge in setting up a dedicated desk at airports. Despite these constraints, TGCSB remains committed to strengthening migration controls and preventing job seekers from falling victim to cyber slavery in Southeast Asia.