CHENNAI: A high-level meeting was held on Friday, presided over by the DGP/HoPF, Tamil Nadu, to discuss the growing menace of cyber slavery. The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, CB CID, and other nodal agencies. Surinder Bhagat, protector general of emigrants and M Rajkumar, protector of emigrants, TN, took part in the meeting. To prevent further cases, the police will conduct extensive awareness campaigns and coordinate with immigration officials to monitor passengers traveling abroad for jobs. Citizens are advised to be cautious of fraudulent job offers and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.

Cyber slavery involves illegal recruitment agencies luring educated youth with promises of high-paying jobs in Southeast Asian countries, only to subject them to physical abuse and forced labor.

Tamil Nadu Police has registered 24 cases of cyber slavery and connected offenses, arresting 54 illegal recruiting agents, including 6 Malaysian nationals. The police have also rescued 16 victims from scam compounds in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.

As many as 1465 people from TN are still trapped in the scam compounds while 335 have returned from there so far.