NIA raids 22 places in six states in human trafficking, forced cyber fraud case

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted extensive searches at 22 locations in six states in a human trafficking and forced cyber fraud case.

The premises of 17 suspects were searched in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra and Punjab as part of the agency's ongoing investigations in the case, linked with an organised trafficking syndicate engaged in trafficking of Indian youth to Southeast Asian countries.

As per the NIA, the suspects have been identified as sub-agents, associates and relatives of Cambodia-based Indian agents involved in trafficking Indian youth to Cambodia.
"These suspects were involved in trafficking the job-seeking youth to foreign countries, and managing their financial transactions and other logistics," the NIA said.

The searches led to the seizure of several digital devices, including mobile phones, hard drives, memory cards, laptops and incriminating documents, along with property and financial documents. Further, Rs 34,80,800 cash has also been recovered.

NIA investigations so far have revealed that the youth were being lured on the pretext of lucrative legitimate jobs and were then forced into cyber slavery. The trafficked youth were being transferred to scam companies, with their passports seized.

Statements given to the NIA by the victims have revealed mental and physical torture, including electric shocks, by the managers of the scam companies in case of refusal to commit the cyber frauds, added the agency.