Vizag Cyber Police cracks down on Illegal Recruiting Agents supplying Cyber Slaves to Cambodia

The Visakhapatnam Cyber Crime Police have arrested a gang of consultancy agents involved in a massive cybercrime racket. The gang was found to be luring unemployed youth with promises of lucrative data entry jobs, only to send them to Chinese-operated cybercrime rings in countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, and Bangkok.

Despite growing awareness of cybercrime, incidents continue to rise, with many still falling prey to sophisticated scams. To combat this, the Visakhapatnam Commissioner of Police, Dr. A Ravi Shankar IPS, along with the Joint Commissioner of Police Dr. K. Fakkirappa IPS, launched an operation to root out these criminal activities. Their efforts led to the arrest of consultancy agents from the Gajuwaka area, including the main suspect, Chukka Rajesh (33).

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The Modus Operandi

Chukka Rajesh, an engineering graduate and former fire safety manager in the Gulf, shifted his focus to supplying manpower to the Gulf countries after marrying in 2021. However, in March 2023, he was approached by an individual named Santosh from Cambodia. Santosh offered Rajesh a commission to recruit individuals with computer knowledge and good English skills, ostensibly for data entry jobs in Cambodia. Each recruit was charged Rs 90,000, with Rs 70,000 going to Santosh and Rs 20,000 as Rajesh’s commission.

Believing in the high profitability of these deals, Rajesh sent 27 recruits to Cambodia in batches. The unsuspecting victims were then trafficked to Chinese companies in Cambodia, where they were coerced into committing cybercrimes. These crimes included defrauding people through fraudulent investment schemes, cryptocurrency scams, and other illegal activities.

A Growing Network

The investigation revealed that Rajesh, through agents like Santosh, Arya, Umamahesh, and Habib, had sent around 150 individuals to Cambodia and Bangkok. Many recruits were issued tourist visas to Bangkok, only to be taken to the Cambodian border and handed over to Chinese companies for $2,500 to $4,000, depending on their skills. Rajesh earned a commission of Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 per person trafficked.

Once in Cambodia, the recruits were detained, locked in dark rooms, and forced to execute cybercrimes under threat of torture. The victims received only 1% of the profits from these crimes, with the remaining 99% going to their captors. The operation funded various illicit activities, including gambling, prostitution, and drug use, to further entrap the victims.

Arrests and Ongoing Investigation

The scam was uncovered following a complaint by Botcha Sankhar, a victim who managed to escape the clutches of the cybercriminals. Based on his report to the 1930 cybercrime helpline, Visakhapatnam City Cyber Crime Inspector K Bhavani Prasad led the investigation under the supervision of the Police Commissioner and Joint Police Commissioner. This led to the arrest of Rajesh and his associates, Sabbavarapu Kondalarao (37) and Mannena Gnaneshwar Rao (29).

Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Dr. A Ravi Shankar IPS highlighted that these cybercrimes, although orchestrated by Chinese nationals, were executed by Indians, allowing them to fly under the radar. Common scams included fake loan apps, fraudulent investment schemes, and honey traps, which leveraged the local language and culture to deceive victims.

Victim Assistance and Public Awareness

The police are conducting an in-depth investigation to identify the main gang behind this racket. They urge anyone who has been cheated by such agents to contact Cyber Crime Inspector K Bhavani Prasad at 9490617917. Additionally, those who have lost money to cybercriminals are encouraged to report the incident to the 1930 helpline for assistance in recovering their funds.

This crackdown by the Visakhapatnam Cyber Crime Police marks a crucial step in combating the increasing threat of cybercrime, protecting vulnerable youth from being exploited by international crime syndicates.

For more updates on cybercrime awareness and protection measures, stay tuned to our news portal.

Venkata Ramana (Present at Cambodia)

Arya (Present at Cambodia)

Omar (Present at Cambodia)

Santosh (Present at Cambodia)

Choppa Uma Mahesh (Present at Cambodia)

Habibi (Present at Cambodia)

Sub Agents

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