If you are desperate for a job and are offered a data entry position in Cambodia, be cautious: you might be trafficked and confined to rooms. Are you a victim of a FedEx courier scam, crypto scam, task game scam, or OPT scam? If so, your money might have gone to Cambodia. Vizag City Police, led by Commissioner of Police A. Ravi Shankar, busted a case of human trafficking and scamming on Saturday. Around 5,000 people have fallen victim to this human trafficking scheme, and they hail from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kolkata.
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Vizag Commissioner of Police A. Ravi Shankar
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The Modus Operandi
The agents lure young people with promises of data entry jobs with lucrative earnings, only to send them to Chinese companies operating in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Bangkok. From each unemployed youth, 1.5 lakh rupees is collected. They are taken to Bangkok on tourist visas, then smuggled into Cambodia, where they are sold to Chinese companies depending on their skills. These companies detain the recruits, force them into dark rooms, and train them in various cybercrimes.
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Data Entry Jobs
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The Culprits and the Plot Hatched- Vizag Connection
The primary accused, Chukka Rajesh (33) from Gajuwaka, has an engineering background and previously worked as a fire safety manager in the Gulf. After ceasing his Gulf travels following his marriage in 2021, he began supplying manpower to Gulf countries. In March 2023, a man named Santosh contacted Rajesh from Cambodia, seeking 30 individuals with computer skills and English proficiency to work as computer system operators in Cambodia. Together, they hatched a plan to sell these recruits to Chinese companies, which would then detain them and force them to perform scams on fellow Indians in India, such as FedEx scams, crypto scams, OTP scams, task game scams, and more.
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Scam calls
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In this entire Human Trafficking, and Scamming episode Santosh assured Rajesh that he would handle all travel logistics and instructed him to collect money from each recruit.
Victims and their locations
The victims, hailing from Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Rajahmundry, Anantapur, Palasa, Tuni, Anakapalli, Telangana, and Kolkata, were coerced into cybercrimes through threats and false promises. They received only 1% of the money they generated from these crimes, while the companies kept the remaining 99%. The profits were often squandered on vices such as gambling, drinking, and prostitution.
How Vizag Police Cracked This Case?
An investigation was initiated by Vizag police, based on a complaint from Botcha Sankhar, a victim who managed to escape from the Chinese company. Authorities understood the racket, identified the people involved, and collected concrete evidence through video calls with victims residing in Cambodia. Cases have been registered for human trafficking, extortion, wrongful confinement, and criminal conspiracy against Chukka Rajesh, along with his sub-agents Sabbavarapu Kondalarao (37) and Mannena Gnaneshwar Rao (29), who have been arrested.
Over 5,000 victims remain in Cambodia, awaiting a safe return to India.
Whom to Contact for Help?
Police urge victims and their families to reach out to the Indian embassy in Cambodia or India to help them escape bonded slavery. Victims and their families can also contact Cyber Crime Inspector K. Bhavani Prasad at 9490617917.
Indian Embassy, Cambodia
Emergency Contact Number (On Closed Holidays/After Office Hours)
Mobile No.: +855 92881676
Tel No.: (+855-23) 210912 / 210913 Ext: 104
Mobile No. +855 105 86600
Email: cons.phnompenh@mea.gov.in/
Cambodian Embassy, India
Cambodia Ambassador
H.E. Mr. Kuong koy
+91-11-41717136; 41717137 (O)
camemb.indmfaic.gov.kh