25 Indians promised ‘lucrative' jobs in Thailand, forced to commit cyber fraud from Laos; 2 arrested

Mumbai, March 26

Mumbai police have arrested two persons after it emerged that over 25 Indians were lured with offers for “high-paying” jobs in Thailand but taken to Laos, where they were forced to work in call centres that scammed people in Europe, the US and Canada, an official said on Tuesday.

The arrest of agents Jerry Jacob (46), whom police described as the kingpin of the racket, and his associate Godfrey Alvares (39) came on the complaint of one Siddharth Yadav (23). The case, registered on March 23, also names another agent named Sunny.

Thane resident Siddharth Yadav and three others, who, too, were victims of the job syndicate, had managed to return from Laos with the help of the Indian embassy in the Southeast Asian country.

Yadav told the police he flew to Thailand in December 2022 hoping to earn good money but was taken to a place in Laos, near the Thailand border.

Accused Jacob, Alvares and Sunny allegedly made Yadav and about two dozen Indians work in call centres that scammed people in Europe, the US and Canada through fake social media accounts, the official said.

The call centres imposed hefty fines on employees citing flimsy reasons, Yadav said in his complaint.

The complainant said he and three others were thrashed by the accused when they approached the Indian embassy in Laos for their return.

After the intervention by the Indian embassy, the local police rescued the youths, including Yadav, the official said.

The police have pressed charges against the accused for criminal intimidation, wrongful confinement, trafficking and cheating under the Indian Penal Code, and Immigration Act.

Both the accused were arrested on Monday evening when they had come to meet their family members in the city, an official said.

During their interrogation, it came to light that they were trying to flee the country within a couple of days, he said.

The crime branch team got information that the accused persons were running the job racket for the last four years, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishal Thakur.

So far, more than 10 victims have approached Mumbai Police after they returned from Laos, he said.

It is suspected that the members of the gang may have duped over 100 jobless youths across the country by luring them with jobs in foreign countries in the last couple of years, said another officer.

Both the arrested accused were produced before the court on Tuesday which remanded them in police custody till March 30, he said, adding that further investigation is under way.