AHMEDABAD: Gujarat’s Surat Cyber Crime police have cracked a shocking cross-border human trafficking and cyber-fraud racket. At least 40 youths from India and abroad, including several from Gujarat, were duped with fake job offers in Thailand, smuggled across borders into Myanmar, and forced to work in illegal Chinese-run call centres carrying out online investment frauds.
Three accused have been arrested so far, while a wider nexus involving 12 people, including a Pakistani agent, has come to light.
The racket first surfaced when Surat cyber sleuths traced suspicious mobile numbers linked to foreign call centres. Further investigation revealed a sinister chain: unsuspecting jobseekers were flown to Thailand on tourist visas, pushed across rivers into Myanmar, and handed over to Chinese gangs. Once inside, they were stripped of their freedom and forced to run cyber scams using fake Facebook and Instagram IDs.
Police raids led to the arrest of three key players: Nipender alias Nirav Lavkush Chaudhary, HR manager with a Chinese company; Preet Rasiklal Kamani of Rajkot; and visa agent Ashish Ramanlal Rana of Surat. All three worked as recruiters, luring youths with promises of high-paying computer jobs.
Investigations revealed the racket had been running for over 18 months. Nipender, working with Chinese handlers, pocketed Rs 3 lakh commission per person routed to Myanmar.
Preet, once trapped himself, was forced to bring in replacements earning Rs 40,000–Rs 50,000 per recruit. He even dragged his Haryana friend Rajneesh Banna into the same nightmare under threats.
Rana, the visa agent, charged commissions of Rs 37,000 per head for arranging travel documents.
Victims’ testimonies paint a chilling picture. Preet Kamani confessed that after being smuggled to a Myanmar call centre named KK3, he and others were forced to cheat Indians in fake investment schemes. Those who refused were told to either pay up in dollars or supply fresh recruits. Many were coerced into dragging friends and acquaintances into the racket.
According to DCP Surat Vishakha Jain, “Chinese companies are using agents in India and abroad to lure youths into cyber crime call centers. They operate on commissions, trapping the vulnerable with false promises of jobs.”
Police confirmed at least 40 youths were trafficked: 37 Indians, 2 Sri Lankans, and 1 Pakistani.
So far, 12 masterminds have been identified, including Pakistani agent Alex and Chinese coordinators Alexander, Enzo, William, King, and others. The network spread across Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia, making millions through cyber scams while exploiting trafficked youths as front-line callers.
With three arrests made, Surat Cyber Crime is now digging deeper into the money trail, agents’ links in India, and the possibility of more victims still trapped in foreign cyber-slavery hubs.