India Battling Cyber Slavery and Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia

Cyber slavery has reportedly entrapped tens of thousands of Indians across several countries in Southeast Asia. They are forced to work for online scammers targeting Indians at home and defrauding millions of dollars from them. Now the Indian government is cracking down on this crime.

According to a report from WION, India’s telecom ministry disconnected 21.7 million mobile phone connections and blocked some 226,000 handsets in a bid to handle the issue. It also set up an inter-ministerial panel which includes the Home Ministry, Immigration Bureau, Financial Intelligence Unit, Reserve Bank of India, Information Technology Ministry, and National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Government data shows that 29,466 of the 73,138 Indians who travelled to Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam on visitor visas from January 2022 to May 2024 are yet to return. Nearly 70% of those who “disappeared” were said to have gone to Thailand.

According to earlier local media reports, the said nations trapped at least 5,000 Indians, with Cambodia as purportedly the main center of cyber slavery in the region. Many had gone to the country thinking they were joining legitimate firms. However, these jobs allegedly forced people to engage in various cyber crimes.

Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre data shows that 45% of crimes targeting Indians originate from Southeast Asia, and around 100,000 complaints have been registered with the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal since January 2023.

In 2024, multiple reports surfaced about Indians still being trapped in the said countries. Many reportedly faced unlawful detention, while government agencies and NGOs intervened to rescue them. In May, the Indian government confirmed the repatriation of 360 individuals who had worked as cyber slaves in Cambodia over the last five months.

Location of referenced scam centers involved in cyber slavery — Courtesy: *U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights*

Global Crackdown on Financial Crimes Intensifies

The Shib Daily earlier reported that The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Cambodian businessman and ruling party senator Ly Yong Phat, along with his conglomerate L.Y.P. Group Co., Ltd., and several affiliated businesses, including O-Smach Resort. These sanctions stem from their involvement in human rights abuses and financial misconduct linked to online scam operations.

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center also (IC3) recently reported a sharp rise in cryptocurrency investment fraud. Losses from investment fraud increased from $3.31 billion in 2022 to $4.57 billion in 2023. Of these, cryptocurrency-related fraud saw a significant surge, with losses climbing from $2.57 billion in 2022 to $3.96 billion in 2023, reflecting a 53% increase.

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Gairika holds positions in BTC. This article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The Shib Magazine and The Shib Daily are the official media and publications of the Shiba Inu cryptocurrency project. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial adviser before making any investment decisions.

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