The Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing successfully rescued 29 individuals from the state who had been trapped in an alarming cyber trafficking network operating out of Myanmar. The victims returned home on November 18th and 19th, marking a successful outcome in the ongoing Operation ‘Blue Triangle.’
Phase 2 Reveals Agent Involvement
A special team from the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing launched Phase 2 of the operation, which involved interrogating the returnees in Delhi and Chennai. This interrogation revealed the involvement of multiple recruitment agents spread across Tamil Nadu, leading to the registration of three First Information Reports (FIRs):
- One FIR was registered at the State Cyber Crime Investigation Centre (SCCIC) Headquarters.
- One at Tambaram City Cyber Crime Police Station (CCPS).
- One at Madurai District CCPS.
Key Agent Arrested and Modus Operandi Exposed
Based on the FIR registered at the SCCIC, the Cyber Crime Wing Headquarters arrested one individual identified as a key agent in the international job fraud and human trafficking network.
In a bizarre twist, the police revealed that the arrested key agent had tried to disguise himself as one of the 29 repatriates to evade capture.
The arrest revealed the brutal modus operandi of the scam:
- Luring Victims: The agent and his associate lured one victim with false promises of a tele-caller job in Bangkok, Thailand. The victim transferred money for visa and travel arrangements and departed from Chennai in May.
- Kidnapping and Trafficking: Upon arrival in Bangkok, the victim was kidnapped at gunpoint and handed over to Chinese cybercriminals across the border in Myanmar.
- Abuse and Extortion: The victim was forced into cybercrime, enduring physical assault, confinement, and forced creation of fake social media accounts for scamming purposes. His family was eventually extorted for ₹5.40 lakhs for his release back to India.
Wider Context and Ongoing Investigation
The Tamil Nadu Police stated that their “relentless dedication” against cyber trafficking networks spread across Southeast Asia is continuing. In a major related development, as many as 395 individuals from across India were recently rescued following raids by the Myanmar Junta Army at K K Park in Myawaddy, a compound notorious for running cyber scams.
Operation Blue Triangle is being led by I Shahnaz, Superintendent of Police, Cyber Crime Division. Special teams are conducting field investigations and forensic examinations and continue to interrogate the returnees.
Earlier, on November 13, the state police had arrested four other individuals from Tamil Nadu—Manavaalan (35), Rajkumar (36), Deepak Dona (27), and Jovin Abishek Rajan (28)—on charges of trafficking an earlier victim.
Further investigation is in progress to trace the key agent’s associates, financial channels, and the broader organized network trafficking Indian citizens to overseas cyber scam centers.