Under Operation ‘INDIGO,’ Gujarat Police Dismantle Global Trafficking Network Feeding Cyber Fraud Syndicates

A month after India rescued 465 nationals trapped in Myanmar’s notorious KK Park scam compound, investigators have uncovered a vast, multinational trafficking network responsible for pushing Indian youths into cyber-fraud operations under threat and coercion. Many of the victims were from Gujarat, lured with the promise of lucrative overseas jobs before being funneled into brutal cybercrime hubs across Southeast Asia.

Mapping a Global Criminal Web

Investigators at the Cyber Centre of Excellence (CCoE) in Gandhinagar began compiling intelligence soon after the repatriations. Interviews conducted by central agencies, including I4C, revealed that victims were systematically deceived, transported across borders, and forced to run online scams under violent conditions.

Special forensic and field teams soon identified a multilayered network of traffickers—local recruiters operating in Gujarat, interstate agents, and foreign handlers connected across several countries. According to officials, the trafficking chain extended through Pakistan, China, Cambodia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Egypt, Cameroon, Benin, and Tunisia.

At the center of the system was an alleged mastermind known as “@Neel Purohit.” Investigators say he coordinated international operatives, arranged victim movement, and maintained direct links with cyber-fraud compounds in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Dubai. A criminal case for human trafficking and criminal conspiracy has been registered against Purohit and three associates.

The Modus Operandi: Job Scams, Coercion & Control

According to the investigation, traffickers built their scheme around fake overseas employment offers. Recruiters contacted job-seekers through social media, WhatsApp groups, or personal referrals. To appear legitimate, they conducted formal interviews and offered attractive salary packages.

Once convinced, victims were instructed to travel on tourist visas. But upon arrival—often at Bangkok airport—they were intercepted by armed operatives and transported covertly into Myanmar’s remote border regions.

Survivors described a chilling pattern:

• Documents confiscated upon arrival
• Treks through jungle passages to avoid authorities
• Confinement in heavily guarded compounds
• Forced participation in cyber-fraud operations

Inside the scam centers, victims were compelled to run investment scams, loan app frauds, cryptocurrency traps, sextortion rackets, and various digital schemes targeting Indian citizens. Surveillance was strict, punishments were violent, and escape was virtually impossible.

A Call for Vigilance

Senior police officers have praised the breakthrough achieved under Operation ‘INDIGO’, noting that Gujarat has been heavily targeted by international syndicates exploiting youth seeking overseas employment.

Dr. K. L. N. Rao, IPS, ADGP (CID–Crime & Railways), commended CCoE’s investigative work and emphasized the importance of public awareness. Authorities urged citizens to verify all foreign job offers through the official government portal emigrate.gov.in and to immediately report any suspicious recruitment activity.

While Operation INDIGO marks a major success, officials warn that it exposes a larger reality: as cybercrime networks grow globally, so does cross-border human trafficking tied to digital fraud. For the rescued victims, the nightmare has ended—but for investigators, unravelling the full scope of the criminal ecosystem has only begun.