Hyderabad: Two arrested for sending Indians to cybercrime slavery in Myanmar, Cambodia

Hyderabad: In a major crackdown on transnational human trafficking and cybercrime, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has arrested two prime accused involved in a cyber slavery racket that lured thousands of Indians to Southeast Asian countries under the guise of lucrative job offers.

Victims lured with job offers, forced into cybercrime

The accused have been identified as Hithesh Arjana Soumya (29), a native of Gujarat, and Kolanati Nagashiva alias James (36), a resident of Hyderabad. According to officials, Hithesh played a central role in trafficking victims to Myanmar, where they were handed over to crime syndicates operated by Chinese and Myanmar nationals.

2,000 Indians rescued from Myanmar cyber camps

The case came to light following a complaint from one of the victims, who was among nearly 2,000 Indians rescued from detention in Myanmar. The victim revealed that the Indian Embassy, in coordination with the Myanmar Army, had carried out the rescue operation. The rescued individuals were later repatriated to India.

Scams targeted NRIs in US and UK

Investigations revealed that the trafficked individuals were flown from Mumbai to Bangkok and then smuggled into neighbouring countries. Once there, they were trained to operate online scams targeting non-resident Indians (NRIs) in the United States and the United Kingdom.

James, the second accused, was also involved in a separate case where Indian nationals were sent to Laos for similar cybercrime operations.

23 related cases registered in Telangana

TGCSB Director Shikha Goel stated that 23 such cases were registered across Telangana in March and April alone, involving victims who had returned from illegal cyber fraud centres in Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos.

“The TGCSB is committed to dismantling these international cyber slavery networks and bringing all involved to justice through coordinated efforts both within India and abroad,” Goel said.

The arrests mark a significant step in India’s ongoing efforts to combat organised cybercrime and human trafficking.