India Rescues 270 Citizens From Myanmar Cyber Scam Centers
In a major international operation, India successfully brought home 270 citizens, including 26 women, who had escaped captivity in sophisticated cyber scam centers operating from Myanmar’s Myawaddy region. The victims were repatriated from the Thai border town of Mae Sot on Thursday after a harrowing ordeal of forced labor and abuse.
Key Takeaways
- 270 Indians rescued from Myanmar cyber scam centers
- Victims were lured with fake IT job offers to Thailand/Laos
- Forced into cryptocurrency and romance scams under brutal conditions
- Mass escape across Moei River led to diplomatic rescue operation
The Cyber Slavery Operation
The rescued individuals were initially lured to Southeast Asian countries with promises of high-paying IT jobs, only to be trafficked across the border into Myanmar’s lawless Myawaddy region. This area has become a notorious hub for organized transnational crime.
According to Ministry of External Affairs officials, the victims were forced to work in sophisticated “pig-butchering” scams – complex cryptocurrency fraud, romance scams, and investment schemes targeting individuals in the US, Europe, and India. Workers faced inhumane conditions, long hours, restricted movement, and physical abuse if they failed to meet scam targets.
The Great Escape and Rescue
The breakthrough came when the large group managed a collective escape, crossing the dangerous Moei River that separates Thailand’s Mae Sot from Myanmar’s Myawaddy. Upon reaching Thai territory, they were received by Indian embassy officials who coordinated their repatriation.
The operation required extensive coordination between Indian embassies in Bangkok and Yangon, along with cooperation from Thai authorities. Working in the Myawaddy region presented significant challenges due to the area’s control by various ethnic armed organizations and the lack of central government authority in Myanmar.
Growing Global Crisis
This rescue, conducted with Interpol and various security agencies, represents one of the largest single-day repatriations related to cyber scam trafficking. It highlights the escalating crisis of digital-age slavery affecting vulnerable job seekers across Asia.
The Ministry of External Affairs has repeatedly warned Indian citizens against accepting unregulated employment offers in the region. India remains committed to bringing back all remaining nationals stranded in similar conditions in Myanmar and other conflict zones.
