NIA investigates human trafficking ring luring Indian youth to Laos

NEW DELHI: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday conducted searches at five locations across Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan in a human trafficking case involving luring of Indian youths with jobs based in south-east Asian counties like Laos and forcing them to engage in cyber fraud there.

Five locations in the three states — essentially premises associated with aides and offices of key accused in the case Balwant and Bobby Kataria — were subjected to thorough searches by NIA teams as part of the agency’s crackdown on individuals/travel agents involved in the trafficking of vulnerable youth from India to the Golden Triangle SEZ in Laos. The searches led to the seizure of incriminating materials including digital devices and documents etc.

NIA investigations have revealed that the suspects were allegedly handling the victims in trafficking, and also managing their logistics and recruitment to a cyber frauds company at Laos.

The human trafficking syndicate under the scanner was operating from Gurugram and other regions within and outside India. It related to the recruitment, transportation and transfer of the victims from India to the Golden Triangle SEZ in Laos.

Initial investigations in the case, originally registered by Gurugram police and taken over by NIA earlier this month, have revealed that the suspects whose premises were searched today had been working for accused Balwant alias Bobby Kataria, owner of MBK Global Visa Pvt. Ltd in Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan. They were instrumental in enticing youths with the promise of lucrative jobs in foreign countries.

Victims proficient in English were lured through social media channels and fraudulently sent to Laos, where they were forced to work in fake call centres. They were physically abused and their travel documents taken away if they refused to cooperate.