Tamil Nadu police nab cyber slavery ring recruiter

Chennai: The state cyber crime wing secured another key suspect linked to an international network that trafficked Indian nationals to cyber scam units operating in Cambodia, police said.The accused, Syed Hassain, 37, from Wallajah in Vellore district, allegedly acted as a local recruiter and intermediary for overseas cyber scam operators.Another accused connected to the same trafficking network was detained earlier. Officials then uncovered evidence showing that Hassain maintained regular contact with overseas handlers who coordinated movement of Indian nationals to Cambodia through Malaysia and Thailand.Initial inquiries revealed that Hassain travelled to Dubai and the UAE in 2016 in search of a job. After returning to India in 2019, he developed contacts with cyber slavery racketeers and began working as a recruiter for them.Police said the accused targeted job seekers from Tamil Nadu with lucrative opportunities abroad. In one case, he facilitated a Tirupathur district native’s journey by coordinating communication between the victim and overseas recruiters. Investigators found that he shared flight tickets, accompanied the victim to Chennai airport, and assisted in arranging onward travel to Cambodia via Malaysia and Bangkok.The cyber crime wing said the accused received commissions ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh through bank transfers and digital payment platforms for arranging recruitment and movement of victims once every two weeks. Police said victims who reached Cambodia were trafficked to scam units operated by foreign nationals, where they were engaged in online financial fraud activities under coercive conditions amounting to cyber slavery.The sleuths said further investigation was underway to identify more victims, local recruiters, financial beneficiaries, and international operatives linked to the organised cyber slavery and cyber fraud syndicate functioning across Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries.Police earlier arrested Madhan Vadivel, 35, a native of Madurai,who was running ‘Jallikattu’ restaurant in Cambodia for functioning as a key recruiter for the network.DGP, cyber crime wing, B Bala Naga Devi, urged the public to remain cautious while seeking overseas employment opportunities. She advised job seekers to verify recruitment agencies through authorised govt channels and avoid job offers circulated through social media platforms, WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels, or unknown online contacts. She also urged the public to share their travel and employment details with family members and ensure recruiting agencies were registered with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Protector of Emigrants.Police have requested the public to report cyber slavery or related fraud through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930.