Trafficking ring used FB ad to lure 2 Karnataka men: Police

Trafficking ring used Facebook ad to lure two Karnataka men: Police Two men from Karnataka were rescued from a compound in Myanmar operated by a Chinese-run cybercrime network after falling victim to a fraudulent job offer advertised on Facebook, according to police. The men were detained in the compound following a joint operation involving the state Cyber Command, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre and the Indian Embassy in Myanmar, with local law enforcement in the neighboring country assisting in the rescue. The operation took place on Monday, marking the culmination of an investigation that began when the men responded to an online advertisement promising lucrative overseas employment. The men, who hail from Karnataka, were lured by a Facebook ad offering high-paying jobs abroad. After applying through an online form and providing personal details, including their education and passport information, they were invited for a virtual interview. An officer familiar with the case described the interview as brief and conducted by a recruiter who did not appear on camera. Within two days, the men received travel documents and airline tickets to Bangkok, which reinforced their belief that the recruitment process was legitimate. They departed from Bengaluru on July 10. Before their departure, one of the men received a WhatsApp call from someone claiming to be their manager, who directed him to send a photo upon boarding the flight. This communication, according to officials, was part of the trafficking network's strategy to monitor the recruits during their journey. Investigators tracked their movements from their arrival in Bangkok to Mae Sot, a town on the Thailand-Myanmar border, where they were reportedly transferred to a compound in Myanmar’s Kayin State. The transfer occurred just a day after their arrival, with the men allegedly escorted by individuals dressed in military uniforms and transported by vehicle to the site. Upon arrival at the compound, the men were immediately stripped of their passports and asked to sign documents before being assigned tasks within the facility. The compound, according to investigators, housed numerous workers from India and other nations, all under the supervision of Chinese operatives. The environment was highly controlled, with residents subjected to constant surveillance. Work schedules lasted up to 16 hours daily, while access to mobile devices was strictly limited to one hour per day. Sleep periods were similarly constrained, and guards frequently checked living quarters to enforce discipline. Violations of these rules led to severe consequences. Initial warnings were issued, but repeated infractions allegedly resulted in harsh penalties, including intense physical exertion, electric shocks and isolation in dimly lit rooms with minimal food. The conditions within the compound were described as oppressive, with workers forced to participate in fraudulent activities such as investment scams targeting global victims. The case has revealed that similar tactics are being employed to recruit job seekers from various regions of India. Social media platforms, particularly Facebook, have emerged as key tools for traffickers seeking to identify potential victims. Advertisements offering employment in fields such as information technology, customer support and data entry have become common ploys used by organised crime groups to ensnare unsuspecting individuals. The breakthrough in this case came when one of the men’s family members raised concerns over the lack of communication with their relative. DGP (CID) Pranob Mohanty highlighted the convergence of trafficking networks and cybercrime, stating that what appears as a legitimate job opportunity can quickly turn into participation in organized fraud operations. He noted that trafficked individuals are often compelled to engage in schemes that deceive victims around the world.