Mumbai Women, Involved in 'Cyber Slaves' Trade, Arrested For Trafficking Young People to Cambodia

Mumbai: A 30-year-old woman from Mumbai has been arrested by Telangana's Cyber Security Bureau for allegedly trafficking young people from India to Cambodia, where they were forced into cybercrime as ‘cyber slaves', as per reports. 

 The woman, who collaborated with the director of a Chinese-owned company, received ₹30,000 for each person she deceived and sent to Cambodia.

Investigating Officials revealed that Priyanka, the accused, had previously worked at a licensed overseas job agency called Maxwell, which shut down due to the ill health of its managing director. After gaining experience, Priyanka started her own unlicensed agency. Without proper legal authorization, she misled job seekers by offering visit visas with false promises of later converting them to job visas.   

Priyanka Visited Cambodia

Priyanka visited Cambodia to confirm the details and was offered $500, approximately ₹42,000, for every candidate she sent. Upon returning to India, she processed the visas for her sister's son, Akshay Vaidhya, and his friend Danish Khan, who became the first victims. After arriving in Cambodia, the two were taken on a 12-hour road journey, where they were introduced to cybercriminal activities by Jithender Shah.  

Priyanka heavily advertised these supposed high-paying jobs in Cambodia through newspapers and social media. This led individuals like Vamsi Krishna and Sai Prasad from Hyderabad to contact her. She collected ₹30,000 as a commission for each candidate, processed their visas, and sent them to Cambodia, where they were subjected to severe physical and mental abuse for refusing to participate in cybercrime.

Cyber Slaves Faced Violence, Torture in Cambodia  

Officials stated that the victims of such schemes are not only coerced into cybercrime but also face threats of violence, psychological torture, and extortion. In some cases, money is demanded from victims' families in cryptocurrency under threats of death.

The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau has advised those seeking employment abroad to always secure proper job visas and verify travel agents through the Protector of Emigrants and the e-Migrant portal.

 Indian Embassy Rescued 14 Cyber Slaves 

In July, the Indian embassy in Phnom Penh reported rescuing 14 Indian nationals who had been forced into cybercrime in Cambodia. With the cooperation of Cambodian authorities, the embassy has so far helped repatriate over 650 Indians who were victims of such trafficking schemes.  

What is 'Cyber Slave'

The term 'cyber slave' refers to individuals lured to another country under the pretense of legitimate employment, only to be coerced into cyber fraud. Victims often have their passports confiscated, trapping them with no means to return home. They are told they are contractually obligated to stay and, in some cases, are even sold to other agents, often linked to Chinese organizations.