Embassy rescues 67 trafficked Indians from cyber-scams centres in Laos

Sixty-seven Indians who were trafficked and forced to work in cyber-scam centres in Laos have been rescued by the Embassy of India in Vientiane, officials here said on Monday. 

These youth were forced to work there under intimidation and abuse by criminal syndicates operating in Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ) in Bokeo province of Laos, the Indian mission here said in a press release. 

"The Embassy of India has successfully rescued 67 Indian youth who had been duped and trafficked into cyber-scam centres operating at the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ) in Bokeo Province of Lao PDR," it said. 

Acting promptly on their requests for help, the Embassy dispatched a team of officials to GTSEZ, coordinating closely with Lao authorities to secure their release. Following necessary procedures and paperwork, the rescued individuals were transported from Bokeo to Vientiane, where the Embassy provided accommodation, food, and other essential support. 

Ambassador of India to Laos, Prashant Agrawal, met with the rescued youth to discuss their experiences, assure them of their safety, and guide them on the next steps, including filing complaints against the agents responsible for their trafficking. He reaffirmed the Embassy's commitment to ensuring their safe return to India as a top priority, the release said. 

"Embassy officials are currently working closely with concerned Lao authorities for completion of their exit formalities, following which all of them would be able to travel back to India shortly," it said. 

The Embassy expressed gratitude to Lao officials for their cooperation and has urged decisive action against the criminal syndicates operating in GTSEZ. 

"The matter has been raised at the highest levels," it said. 

The Embassy has so far rescued 924 Indians, of which 857 have already been safely returned to India, it said. 

The Embassy also cautioned Indian youth considering overseas job offers. 

"Indian youth who may have been promised a job in Thailand, but upon arrival there, are asked to travel by road to Chiang Rai close to Thai-Lao border, are cautioned that this is a sure indication that they are being trafficked to GTSEZ in Lao PDR. Once they arrive in GTSEZ, their passports may be taken away by criminal syndicates and they are made to sign a so-called 'work contract' in a foreign language which endangers them to exploitation," it said. 

The Embassy has urged individuals to consult the detailed advisory on its official website or contact them for verification before accepting any suspicious job offers. 

It also urged individuals to reach out to the Embassy to prevent falling prey to such scams.