Indictment filed against 5 people for Indian trafficking

Lina Portman2 weeks ago

0 2 minutes read

New Delhi:

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a chargesheet against five people, including two foreign nationals, on suspicion of being part of international trafficking of Indian youths and forcing them to work in child welfare centers. fraudulent calls abroad.

The powerful syndicates also used victim control tactics in case any of the young trafficking victims refused to continue their online fraud work, the investigative agency said in a statement.

“These tactics included isolation and restriction of movement, confiscation of personal travel documents and physical violence, arbitrary fines, death threats, threats of rape in the case of women, threats to appear in court false drug case at the local police station, etc.” It said.

According to NIA investigations, the accused targeted Indian youths with computer and English skills and forced them to work in fraudulent call centers on tourist visas for monetary gains.

The victims were recruited, transported and transferred from India to the Golden Triangle SEZ in Lao PDR via Thailand, the NIA said.

Upon arrival, the victims were trained in the use of Facebook, Telegram, the basics of cryptocurrency and the handling of applications created by the fraudulent company, the press release added.

“Further tightening its grip around human trafficking and cyber fraud syndicates operating inside and outside the country, the NIA on Friday indicted five accused, including two foreign nationals, in a case major with international ties,” the statement said.

Two of the defendants named in the indictment – Jerry Jacob and Godfrey Alvares – are under arrest and the others – Sunny Gonsalves and foreign nationals Niu Niu and Elvis Du – are still at large, he said. added, without disclosing further details.

The charge sheet filed before the special NIA court in Mumbai revealed the involvement of several foreign nationals in the case, in which the agency is continuing its investigations.

The racket was operated with complete audacity, with the accused even deleting the victims' mobile phone data to destroy evidence, the NIA said.

Victims were threatened if they contacted the embassy or relevant local authorities. In some cases, victims were held in fraudulent compounds, confined without food for 3 to 7 days and tortured if they refused to work, he added.

“They were released only after extraction of extortion payments, ranging from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1,80,000, or after intervention of the Indian embassy in Lao PDR on the complaints filed by the victims” , the NIA said, adding that further investigations would uncover. The full racket and identification of other accused involved is ongoing.

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