NIA Cracks Down on Human Trafficking Syndicate

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested four individuals involved in luring and trafficking Indian youth to foreign countries under the guise of job offers. These youths were forced into illegal activities via fake call centres in Southeast Asia. The NIA's ongoing investigation aims to dismantle such syndicates.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken decisive action by arresting four individuals accused of luring and trafficking Indian youth to foreign nations with false promises of lucrative jobs, according to an official statement released on Tuesday.

The apprehended suspects, identified as Manjoor Alam alias Guddu from Delhi, Sahil and Ashish alias Akhil from Bahadurgarh (Haryana), and Pawan Yadav alias Afroze alias Afzal from Siwan (Bihar), were part of a well-organized trafficking syndicate, NIA's investigations have disclosed.

The trafficked individuals were compelled to work in fake call centres located in regions such as the Golden Triangle SEZ in Laos, and other Southeast Asian localities. These operations were conducted by foreign national networks using Indian-based operatives. Through these call centres, the youth were coerced into illegal online activities including investment scams, relationship scams, and cryptocurrency scams, as per the statement from the federal probe agency.

The NIA, having taken over the case from Delhi Police on June 19, continues to investigate these human trafficking networks. In May, extensive searches were conducted across 15 locations in six states and two Union Territories, in collaboration with local police forces. These efforts resulted in eight new FIRs related to human trafficking and cyber fraud. Last month, the NIA filed charges against five accused, including foreign nationals, in a similar case in Mumbai.

(With inputs from agencies.)