CBI Registers FIR Against Chandigarh-Based Racket for Human Trafficking to Myanmar

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against a Chandigarh-based human trafficking racket that allegedly lured unsuspecting Indians into cyber-crime sweatshops in Myanmar under the pretense of offering them lucrative job opportunities in Thailand, according to officials on Tuesday.

The federal agency has identified Riya Sonkar, allegedly the mastermind behind the operation, and one Ajay, in the FIR, which has been filed under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 370(3) (human trafficking) of the Indian Penal Code.

The CBI conducted a search operation at Sonkar’s premises, where they uncovered significant digital evidence related to the "scam," including transaction details and other incriminating information, officials said.

Modus Operandi

According to the FIR, Sonkar targeted individuals with promises of well-paying jobs as customer-support executives and data-entry operators in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. However, instead of fulfilling these promises, she allegedly funneled them into a network of human traffickers operating in Myawaddy, Myanmar. This region is notorious for cyber-crime syndicates managed by Chinese and Indian nationals, where victims are forced to participate in fraudulent online activities.

The FIR notes, "In case these victims refuse to work on cyber crimes, then they are being given severe punishments e.g. physical torture, electrocution, etc. Many victims are still trapped in Myawaddy, Myanmar region."

Exposed: A Narrow Escape

Sonkar’s scheme was exposed when she attempted to send a group of individuals to Myanmar under the pretense of working for a Chinese company as customer-support executives. She promised them a salary of 1,000 USD plus incentives but instead provided them with business visas and tickets to Yangon, Myanmar. When the victims questioned her about the change in plans, she managed to pacify them with flimsy explanations.

Their suspicions were further aroused during the flight to Yangon, where they met an Indian passenger who warned them about the human trafficking traps in Myawaddy. Upon arrival in Yangon, the group encountered dubious individuals who had come to receive them on behalf of the purported company. Sensing danger, they contacted the Indian embassy, which confirmed their suspicions and advised them to abort their plans.

The Indian embassy facilitated their return to India on March 6, 2024, but at their own expense. The FIR further alleges that Sonkar planned to recruit 20 more Indians in the coming days.

The CBI’s investigation into this human trafficking racket is ongoing, as they work to identify and apprehend other members involved in the operation.