Andhra Pradesh police have rescued 85 individuals and arrested 20 accused in connection with an international human trafficking racket that lured Indian youths into scam operations in Southeast Asia under the pretence of offering data entry jobs.
During a press conference on Wednesday, City Police Commissioner Sankhabrata Bagchi said the most recent arrests were made on July 14, when two agents, Suresh and Adilakshmi, were apprehended at Visakhapatnam Airport while attempting to traffic four persons to Cambodia. The incident is part of a wider crackdown on transnational cybercrime networks. Nine human trafficking cases have so far been registered in this ongoing operation.
According to police, the victims were sent to scam centres in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos, where they were allegedly coerced into running online frauds. The majority of those trafficked were Telugu-speaking youths from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Investigators estimate that around 500 individuals from northern Andhra Pradesh are currently trapped in Myanmar and Cambodia, having been duped by fake job offers.
The Commissioner said Suresh, one of the recently arrested agents, had previously worked in a Cambodian cybercrime hub before returning to India to recruit more victims. The prime suspect in the case has been identified as Vijayakumar, also known as Sunny, who allegedly coordinated the recruitment process.
The trafficked youths were allegedly forced to carry out online investment scams involving fake stocks, cryptocurrencies, and digital gold. The illicit proceeds were reportedly laundered through several layers, converted into cryptocurrency, and routed to Singapore.
Police seized two mobile phones, 20 SIM cards, Rs 50,000 in cash, and 2,000 dollars (approximately Rs 1.8 lakh) from the accused during the latest arrests.
Commissioner Bagchi warned that recruitment agents and consultancy firms operating without proper authorisation would face action under the Immigration Act, 1983. He urged job seekers to remain vigilant and verify credentials before accepting overseas offers.
To support victims and their families, Visakhapatnam Police have launched a dedicated helpline: 79950 95799.
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