Indore Crime Branch’s investigation into the Rs1.60 crore ‘digital arrest’ scam has revealed a brutal international cybercrime network operating from Laos’ Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ). During interrogation, the accused identified one of their top handlers, a Chinese national named Lizo. Police have retrieved his photo from their devices and uploaded it on the BharatPol Portal for public identification.
With the recent arrest of two more suspects, Saurabh Singh (Vapi, Gujarat) and Patras Kumar alias Kelis (Firozpur, Punjab), the total number of accused in the case has risen to 19. What initially appeared as an online cheating case has now exposed a transnational racket involving trafficking, torture, and corporate-style cyber fraud operations.
Both Saurabh and Patras told police that they were lured with promises of data-entry jobs in Thailand but were trafficked to Laos and forced into cybercrime operations. Additional DCP (Crime) Rajesh Dandotiya said the accused revealed they were held hostage, made to work up to 18 hours a day, and tortured for failing targets or making errors. They were confined in dark rooms with hands and legs tied, given electric shocks, and forced into grueling physical tasks.
Saurabh Singh is among the Indians rescued by the Indian Embassy in Laos earlier this year from scam centres in Bokeo province, where hundreds of Indians had been trapped by similar syndicates.
Corporate-style hierarchy and operations
The accused described the scam operation in Laos as a structured corporate system:
Finders – Identify vulnerable targets on Instagram, Facebook, and dating apps.
Chatters – Engage victims emotionally to lure them into the trap.
Team Leaders – Supervise chatters and escalate fraud.
Directors – Oversee multiple teams and coordinate operations.
Boss – Top handler controlling the entire unit, identified as Lizo.
The Crime Branch has uploaded his details on the BharatPol Portal to seek international verification.
SIM cards smuggled to mask identities
Before trafficking, the accused procured over 350 SIM cards using forged or rural identities. These SIMs were routed through handlers and sent to Laos, enabling foreign operatives to contact Indian victims while appearing to be inside India.
A 59-year-old victim in Indore was contacted via Skype and WhatsApp video by scammers impersonating officials from the CBI, ED, RBI, and local police. She was falsely accused of money-laundering and threatened with arrest. Under this pretense, the scammers accessed her bank accounts, fixed deposits, and share holdings, ultimately siphoning off Rs1.60 crore.
A case was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), triggering a multi-state crackdown. The investigation has traced the network across Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, highlighting the extensive recruitment chain supporting the Laos-based operations.
According to Dandotiya, the Golden Triangle SEZ in Laos is the principal command hub for Chinese handlers directing the scam.
Forensic and investigative measures
Indore Police are conducting forensic analysis of the accused’s digital devices to trace communications with foreign handlers, map money flows, and uncover recruitment networks that trafficked Indians to Southeast Asia. SIM procurement trails, scam hierarchies, target systems, and potential evidence of confinement or torture are being examined to corroborate victims’ testimonies.
A special Crime Branch team, in coordination with central agencies, is working to dismantle the international cybercrime network and bring all operatives to justice.
