GANDHINAGAR: In a major crackdown on international cybercrime networks, Gujarat Police’s Cyber Centre of Excellence has arrested two key agents who lured unemployed youth with fake job promises overseas. The duo, identified as Kaushik Pethani from Amreli and Dhruv Dobariya from Surat, were nabbed following precise intelligence inputs, authorities announced on Thursday.
Investigations reveal a sinister operation where the accused preyed on jobless individuals from Gujarat and other parts of India. They enticed victims with visions of lucrative employment abroad, only to traffic them to cyber fraud hubs in countries like Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. Once there, these young people were coerced into scams involving cryptocurrency cons, fake investment schemes, and other online deceptions.
Kaushik Pethani, known in the underworld as ‘Ali Baba,’ masterminded the recruitment and logistics, handling everything from passport arrangements to flight bookings. His accomplice, Dhruv Dobariya, acted as a sub-agent, facilitating the dispatch of at least five victims. The network charged each recruit between 70,000 to 1.5 lakh rupees for the ‘placement.’
Victims faced harrowing ordeals: passports and phones confiscated, confinement in controlled facilities, and brutal physical and mental torture for those refusing to participate. The syndicate extended its reach to Bangladesh and Pakistan, with plans to expand fraud centers to South Africa, Georgia, UAE, Thailand, Laos, and Sri Lanka.
Police Superintendent Vivek Bheda of the Cyber Centre emphasized their commitment to curbing cyber slavery. ‘This arrest disrupts a major human trafficking pipeline disguised as job placements via WhatsApp and Telegram ads,’ he stated. Recruits underwent sham interviews and skill training before being shipped off.
The investigation continues, with more arrests expected. Authorities urge caution against unverified overseas job offers on social media, highlighting the growing menace of cyber fraud syndicates exploiting economic desperation.