NIA Conducts Multi-State Raids, Arrests 5 Men In International Human Trafficking And Cyber Fraud Syndicate
Investigations have further revealed that the arrested accused were coordinating with traffickers operating from across the international border to facilitate illegal border-crossing of Indian youths from Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam to Laos SEZ.
New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted multi-state raids resulting in the arrest of five individuals linked to an international human trafficking and cyber fraud syndicate. The accused were reportedly luring Indian youths with false promises of employment abroad. These individuals were then forced into working at fake call centers located in various regions, including the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Laos and Cambodia. The syndicate, mainly run by foreign nationals, compelled the victims to engage in illicit online activities like credit card fraud, cryptocurrency investments through fraudulent applications, and honey trapping.
The accused have been identified as Manish Hingu of Vadodara, Pahlad Singh of Gopalganj, Nabialam Ray of South-West Delhi, Balwant Kataria of Gurugram and Sartaj Singh of Chandigarh were arrested following a crackdown at 15 locations in Maharashtra, UP, Bihar, Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh, NIA said.
According to the NIA spokesperson, the central agency carried out a coordinated operation with state police forces and central intelligence agencies across all the locations. “The searches led to the seizure of several incriminating materials including documents, digital devices, handwritten registers, multiple passports, bogus overseas employment letters etc,” the spokesperson said.
Eight fresh FIRs have been registered by different state/UT police forces and five accused have been arrested, the NIA said.
Investigations have further revealed that the arrested accused were coordinating with traffickers operating from across the international border to facilitate illegal border-crossing of Indian youths from Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam to Laos SEZ, it said. They were working at the behest of foreign-based agents belonging to well organised syndicates that were active in several districts of Maharashtra, UP, Bihar, Gujarat, Delhi, Punjab and Haryana among others, the NIA said.
“These syndicates were further connected to operatives based in other parts of India, as well as foreign countries like the UAE, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos SEZ, etc.,” it added.
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