Enslavement of Indian Nationals by Cybercrime Rings in Southeast Asia
Indian nationals rescued from enslavement by cybercrime rings in Southeast Asia have been brought home from Thailand by the Indian Air Force. Criminal gangs used fake job ads to lure people into camps where they were enslaved as email and telephone scammers. Victims were forced to work in rackets such as crypto fraud, illegal online gambling, and online dating swindles. Wang Xing, a young Chinese actor, was kidnapped by Thai gangsters and rescued in a secretive operation by Thai police. Southeast Asian governments cracked down on scam centers, leading to the rescue of over 7,000 prisoners. Organized crime experts say most scam rings are run by Chinese bosses.