'We had to do cybercrimes in Golden Triangle region': Three more Malayalis who were victims of job fraud brought back

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Three more Malayalis who were trapped in the notorious Golden Triangle area on the border of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia as victims of labour fraud and human trafficking have returned home. The three, natives of Alappuzha-Thrissur, who were brought to Delhi from Thailand in an Indian Air Force flight, were brought to Kochi by IndiGo flight through Norka Roots at around 4.40 pm.

Yesterday, eight Malayalis were brought to Kerala by air from Delhi. Including these, a total of 11 Malayalis were brought to India through Norka Roots. The returnees were forced to commit cybercrimes (scamming) including fake call centres in the area known as the Golden Triangle through fake recruitment agents. The interventions made by the Indian embassies in Myanmar and Thailand in collaboration with the local governments are what helped in the release of 549 Indians.

The rescued Indian nationals were taken to Mae Sot in Thailand and later flown to Delhi by an Indian Air Force aircraft. Complaints against illegal recruitment, visa fraud and human trafficking abroad can be filed through NORKA's Operation Shubhayatra. The project is being implemented jointly by the Protector of Emigration in the Ministry of External Affairs, Kerala Police and NORKA Roots.

Complaints can be lodged through emails spnri.pol@kerala.gov.in, dyspnri.pol@kerala.gov.in and the helpline number 04712721547. If you are going abroad for study, work or want to go, such trips should be made only through approved agencies or legally. You can check whether the recruitment agency is licensed through the Ministry of External Affairs' Emigrate web portal (www.emigrate.gov.in).