The city’s cybercrime police have busted an international human trafficking racket, arresting three men for trafficking over 40 victims to Myanmar. Victims hailed not only from India but also Pakistan, Ethiopia, and Sri Lanka. The operation came to light after a raid on a flat in Penta Homes, Zirakpur, in Punjab’s Mohali district.
The accused charged Rs 3–4 lakh per person, promising jobs in Thailand with salaries of Rs 70,000–1 lakh, but instead took the victims to Laukkai, Myanmar, a hub for cyber fraud gangs run by Chinese companies. Victims were confined and forced to work in cybercrime operations.
Police identified the arrested as Nipender alias Neerav Chaudhary (24) of Uttarakhand, Preet Kamani (21) of Rajkot, and Ashish Rana from Surat, a visa agent. Chaudhary, an HR manager with a Chinese firm, recruited victims through social media and coordinated with Kamani and Rana. He collected Rs 3–4 lakh per recruit and paid commissions to his agents.
Investigations revealed that Kamani had gone to Thailand on a tourist visa in June 2024, later crossing into Myanmar with the help of a Pakistani agent. He collaborated with Chaudhary after returning to India to recruit more victims. Together, Kamani and Rana trafficked nine persons from Gujarat, paying Rana Rs 37,000 per candidate.
During the raid, police seized four mobile phones and a laptop, uncovering records of over 40 trafficked victims. The victims were promised jobs in Thailand but were instead sent by bus to Laukkai, a China–Myanmar border town notorious for cyber fraud, online gambling, and forced labor.
Authorities are continuing investigations to identify more victims and dismantle the syndicate’s operations.
