A man from Porbandar has been arrested by the Cyber Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar for his alleged role in an international human trafficking racket. The network allegedly lured Indians with offers of high-paying data entry jobs abroad but forced them into cybercrime operations run by Chinese syndicates.
According to a report by a national newspaper, the accused, Hitesh Somaiya, 31, from Bokhira in Porbandar, worked with sub-agents to recruit people from Gujarat and other states. Victims were promised high-paying jobs abroad.
Later, they were flown to Bangkok, Thailand, on fake job offers. There, Chinese handlers took their passports, phones, and documents. The victims were then trafficked across the Moei River into Myawaddy, Myanmar, investigators said.
The police seized his cell phone after apprehending him in Porbandar.
The report added that in Myanmar, the victims were locked inside compounds such as KK Park, known for illegal cyber activities. They faced physical and mental torture and were forced to run online scams: phishing, cryptocurrency frauds, dating app cons, and Ponzi schemes.
Those who resisted were tortured physically. They were kept in illegal detention until they agreed to cooperate, officials told the media house.
The report, attributing the police, mentioned that Somaiya worked with an international cyber syndicate. He also engaged with Chinese mafia groups that made huge profits from online scams.
With his team, he handled recruitment, travel, and fake documents for victims.
The report added that they earned a commission for every person trafficked.
Investigators discovered that 10 to 12 people from Gujarat and several others from different states had been trafficked.
Authorities have issued an advisory warning people to verify overseas job offers before traveling. They urged citizens to report suspicious recruitment agents and advised families of missing persons abroad to contact the cyber helpline or the nearest police station.
Also Read: ‘Gujarat Breeding Ground for Human Trafficking Agents’: ED Investigation https://www.vibesofindia.com/gujarat-breeding-ground-for-human-trafficking-agents-ed-investigation/
