14 Indians rescued from cyber slavery in Cambodia appeal Indian embassy for quick repatriation

The victims are mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and were rescued by the Cambodian police.

The 14 men were trapped in a dangerous job scam and are currently staying at an NGO.

Several reports have emerged on trafficking rackets that affected many, including over 5,000 Indians stranded in Cambodia.

They were forced to carry out illegal cyber activities.

Earlier this year, the government said that about 250 Indians have been "rescued and repatriated."

These individuals were promised legitimate jobs but were subsequently coerced into engaging in illegal online activities, according to India's foreign ministry.

After arriving in Cambodia’s Siem Reap, their passports were taken away, and they were forced to work in "cyber scamming" call centers targeting Indian citizens.

The police uncovered this major scam late last year when a senior central government employee reported being defrauded of over Rs 67 lakh and filed a complaint.

Odisha's Rourkela Police busted a cyber-crime syndicate on December 30, arresting eight individuals allegedly involved in trafficking people to Cambodia.

Earlier this year, the Indian Embassy issued an advisory for those seeking jobs in Cambodia, urging Indian nationals to secure employment only through authorized agents approved by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The Indian Embassy noted that these fake jobs are advertised for positions such as 'Digital Sales and Marketing Executives' or 'Customer Support Service' by dubious companies involved in call center scams and cryptocurrency fraud.