Human trafficking, forced cyber fraud case: NIA chargesheets two foreign nationals among five
Jun 21, 2024
New Delhi [India], June 21 : Tightening its noose around the human trafficking and cyber fraud syndicates operating within and outside the country, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday chargesheeted five people, including two foreign nationals, in a major case having international linkages.
Two of the chargesheeted accused, Jerry Jacob and Godfrey Alvares, are under arrest and three others, Sunny Gonsalves, as well as foreign nationals Niu Niu and Elvis Du, are still absconding.
The chargesheet filed before NIA special court in Mumbai has exposed the involvement of several foreign nationals in the case, in which the agency is continuing with its investigations.
As per NIA investigations, the accused were targeting Indian youth who were proficient in computers and English language, and coercing them into working in fraudulent call centres on tourist visa for pecuniary gains.
"The victims were being recruited, transported, and transferred from India to the Golden Triangle SEZ in Lao PDR via Thailand. Upon arrival, the victims were trained in the use of Facebook, Telegram, the basics of cryptocurrency, and the handling of apps created by the scam company," said the NIA.
"The powerful syndicates also used victim control tactics in case any of the trafficked youth refused to continue with the online fraud work. These tactics included isolation and restriction of movement, confiscation of personal travel documents and physical abuse, arbitrary fines, threats to kill, threats to rape in the case of women, threats to arrest in the false case of drugs in the local police station, etc."
The racket was being operated with complete audacity, with the accused even deleting the data of the victims' mobile phones to destroy evidence, said the anti-terror agency.
The victims faced threats if they approached the concerned Embassy or local authority, it mentioned, pointing out that, "in some cases, the victims were held in scam compounds, confined without food for 3 to 7 days, and tortured if they refused to work."
"They were only released after extraction of extortion payments, ranging from Rs. 30,000 to Rs 1,80,000, or intervention by the Embassy of India in Lao PDR on complaints made by the victims," said the NIA.
The agency further added that its investigations to unearth the complete racket and identify the other accused involved are being carried out.
