E-Paper
Trafficking ring used FB ad to lure 2 Karnataka men: Police
A Facebook advertisement promising lucrative overseas jobs hooked two men from the state into becoming foot soldiers in an alleged cybercrime ring manned by an international human trafficking network, police said, adding that the men were confined to a compound in Myanmar, where they were rescued on Monday
A Facebook advertisement promising lucrative overseas jobs hooked two men from the state into becoming foot soldiers in an alleged cybercrime ring manned by an international human trafficking network, police said, adding that the men were confined to a compound in Myanmar, where they were rescued on Monday.
Officers aware of the development said the rescue operation was jointly coordinated by the state Cyber Command, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre and the Indian Embassy in Myanmar, with the assistance of local police in the neighbouring country.
The lure
Officers familiar with the probe said the two men believed they had secured legitimate jobs abroad after responding to an advertisement on Facebook that offered attractive salaries. ““They completed an online application by submitting personal details, including their educational qualifications and passport information, and were later contacted for a virtual interview,” said an officer.
Investigators said the interview was brief and conducted by a recruiter who allegedly never appeared on camera. “Within two days, the men received visas and airline tickets to Bangkok, reinforcing their belief that the recruitment process was genuine,” the officer added. They left Bengaluru on July 10.
Police said that ahead of their departure, one of them received a WhatsApp call from a man allegedly identifying himself as their manager, who instructed them to share a photograph after boarding the flight. Officials believe such communication was part of the network’s effort to track recruits throughout their journey.
Investigators traced the pair’s journey from arrival at Bangkok to Mae Sot, a town on the Thailand-Myanmar border, from where they were moved across the border a day after their arrival. Officials said they were escorted by men allegedly dressed in military uniforms and transported them by road to a heavily guarded compound in Myanmar’s Kayin State.
The ordeal
“The recruits’ passports were seized immediately after they arrived,” an investigator said. “They were then asked to sign documents before being assigned work inside the compound,” he added.
Investigators found that the facility housed dozens of workers from India and other countries under the supervision of Chinese operators. According to officials, workers inside the compound lived under constant surveillance. They were required to work shifts lasting up to 16 hours a day, were permitted to use mobile phones for only one hour and had limited time to sleep. Guards regularly inspected living quarters and enforced strict discipline.
Investigators said violations of the rules attracted escalating punishments. Workers were initially warned, but repeated breaches allegedly resulted in strenuous physical exercise, electric shocks and confinement in dark rooms with restricted food.
The investigation indicates that similar recruitment methods are being used to traffic job seekers from different parts of India. Officials said social media advertisements offering employment in information technology, customer support, data entry and other office based roles have become a common tool used by organised trafficking syndicates to identify potential victims.
The breakthrough
Police said the breakthrough came after one of the men’s relatives alerted authorities when communication with them became suspicious.
DGP (CID) Pranob Mohanty said the case illustrated how trafficking networks had merged with organised cybercrime. “What begins as an overseas job offer often ends inside organised cyber scam compounds, where trafficked recruits are forced to operate frauds like investment schemes targeting victims worldwide,” he said.
