250 Indians rescued from Cambodia: Home Ministry to file CBI complaint for action against recruitment agents

According to sources, the Ministry has asked the units concerned to provide a status report on the matter and send an advisory to all states, alerting them about job seekers being scammed.

“Following directions, MHA’s Internal Security Division held a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity), the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), and other security experts. It was decided that a case be filed with the CBI so that a crackdown can be conducted across states against such travel agents,” a source said.

Officials of the I4C have also been asked to share their analysis report with all states. “The modus operandi was also discussed. Since there are no direct flights from India, agents first take these people to Malaysia or Bangkok, and then to Cambodia,” said a source.

Some people were promised jobs in Vietnam. “After getting their documents made and taking Rs 1-2 lakh, they would take them to Vietnam, but then force them to cross the border by road. Once in Cambodia, an agent would seize their documents, passport and visa and force them to work in companies engaging in online fraud. The agents who led them there are from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal,” a source said.

Another concern that emerged is of Indian SIM cards being used in Cambodia. “We busted a gang at IGI airport wherein a person was going to Thailand with around 300 activated SIM cards, procured on fake IDs. These people get a commission of Rs 150-200 for each SIM card,” a source said.

In Cambodia, people were made to run multiple types of scams – from posing as police officers to pretending to be women on dating apps. “The aim was to dupe people into investing in useless cryptocurrency or a fraud business,” an officer said.

“Our investigation and statements of people who were rescued suggest top bosses of the scamming companies were Chinese nationals who employed Malaysians or Cambodians to communicate with the others. People from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, India and Cambodia worked as agents. The agents recruited people from India promising legitimate work. The people were eventually made to work 12 hours every day,” an officer said, adding that if anybody refused, there would be “consequences”, including physical assault.