Laos, Aug 31, 2024
The Indian Embassy in Laos announced on Saturday that it has successfully rescued 47 Indian nationals who were trapped in cyber-scam centres located in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Bokeo province.
The Embassy reported that 29 individuals were handed over by Laos authorities following a crackdown on illegal activities in the SEZ. The remaining 18 approached the Embassy directly, seeking assistance.
In a post on X, the Embassy explained that its officials travelled from the capital, Vientiane, to Bokeo, where they coordinated with local authorities to facilitate the rescue. The rescued individuals were then transported back to Vientiane, where they were provided with accommodation.
Indian Ambassador to Laos, Prashant Agrawal, met with the rescued group upon their arrival in Vientiane to discuss the challenges they faced and to outline the next steps.
The Embassy has completed all necessary procedural requirements with the Laos authorities for the repatriation of these individuals. So far, 30 individuals have either returned to India or are on their way back home, while the remaining 17 are awaiting final travel arrangements.
Ambassador Agrawal reiterated that ensuring the safety and well-being of Indian citizens is a top priority for the Embassy, stating that all requests for assistance are promptly addressed.
The Embassy also expressed its gratitude to Laos authorities for their cooperation and urged them to take action against the unscrupulous elements responsible for luring Indian nationals into such scams.
To date, 635 Indians have been rescued from similar situations in Laos and have safely returned to India. The Embassy has issued multiple warnings advising Indians considering job offers in Laos to exercise extreme caution and conduct thorough due diligence to avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes.
Earlier this month, the Embassy rescued 14 Indian nationals from similar cyber-scam centres in Laos. In May, 13 Indians, including seven workers from Odisha, were also rescued and repatriated.
The Embassy has highlighted that many of these fake job offers involve positions such as “Digital Sales and Marketing Executives” or “Customer Support Service” roles, which are fronts for call-centre scams and cryptocurrency frauds.
These offers are often facilitated by agents based in Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, and India, who recruit Indian nationals with promises of high salaries, hotel bookings, return air tickets, and visa facilitation.(Agency)
