Tamil Nadu cyber cops nab key agent involved in trafficking people to scam compounds

CHENNAI: One of the 29 people from Tamil Nadu, who were rescued from Thailand and Myanmar after being trafficked there to work in cyber scam compounds, was, in fact, the key agent involved in the human trafficking ring, found the investigation by the sleuths from the State police’s Cyber Crime wing.

The arrest follows the latest set of mass repartition of Indians from Myanmar, in which 395 people from across India were rescued following sustained raids by the Myanmar Junta Army at KK Park in Myawaddy, a compound notorious for cyber scams.

In the first set of mass repatriations, 465 Indians, including 35 from Tamil Nadu, were sent back to India on November 6 and 10.

As part of the operation codenamed “Blue Triangle", multiple teams led by Cyber Crime SP I Shahnaz worked on identifying the agents and arrested four agents Manavaalan (35), Rajkumar (36), Deepak Dona (27), and John Abishek Rajan (28).

They were booked for offences, including human trafficking and abduction, which carry life sentence.

During the second phase, 29 repatriates from Tamil Nadu arrived home in two stages, on November 18 and 19. Among them was a key agent who tried to disguise himself as one of the victims of the trafficking ring.

Along with an associate, he had lured victims with false promises of tele-caller jobs in Bangkok, Thailand. One of the victims who travelled to Bangkok on May 4 was kidnapped at gunpoint on arrival and handed over to the cybercriminals, the police said.

According to an official statement, the victim endured physical assault and confinement, and was forced to create fake social media accounts that were used in the scams.

The gang also extorted Rs 5.40 lakh from his family for his release, it added.

Further investigation is in progress tracing his associates, financial channels, and organised network trafficking Indian citizens to overseas cyber scam centres, said the police.

Appreciating the special teams on the successful completion of Phase II of Operation Blue Triangle, ADGP (Cyber Crime Wing) Sandeep Mittal cautioned the public to remain vigilant while searching for jobs abroad.

Highlights

The scam networks lure victims with false promises of lucrative jobs in foreign countries

Most of the trafficked victims are from Thanjavur, Cuddalore, and Tiruvarur districts. They were lured by the accused on the promise of IT or typing jobs

Believing in shiny prospects, the victims land in Thailand, only to be escorted under duress into compounds run by transnational syndicates, without knowing that they are being illegally taken to Myanmar, where they endure physical abuse

Once sent to work in the scam compounds, they are made to engage in cyber scams like digital arrest, investment scams and other cyber frauds