549 Indians Rescued from Cyber Crime Hubs in Southeast Asia, Investigation On

New Delhi: In a big rescue mission, the government has repatriated 549 Indian nationals who were tricked by false employment opportunities and pressurized to engage in cybercrime in Southeast Asia. Investigation has shown that out of these, 65 are from Uttar Pradesh, 61 from Maharashtra, 57 from Gujarat, and 48 from Punjab.

Authorities confirmed that all the rescued people have been questioned by various agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The returnees were repatriated in two groups, with 266 on Monday and 283 on Tuesday, aboard military planes. Most of them had been trafficked to scam centers running in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos and forced into illegal cyber activities.

After landing at Hindon Airbase, they were escorted to the CBI Academy in Ghaziabad, where senior CBI, National Investigation Agency (NIA), and state police officers questioned them to find out more about their experience and the networks involved in their trafficking.

The authorities are ongoing with their investigation to determine the recruiters and traffickers who tricked these people. The government of India has appealed to the citizens to be careful regarding false job opportunities and verify properly before taking up employment abroad.

The massive rescue operation points to the increasing threat of cybercrime syndicates targeting job aspirants, leading law enforcement agencies to ramp up their action against such illegal networks.