Indian embassy rescues 67 nationals from cyber-scam centres in Laos

Embassy of India in Laos on Monday said that it rescued as many as 67 Indian nationals from cyber-scam centres in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ) in Bokeo Province of Lao PDR.

Embassy of India rescues 67 Indian youth from cyber-scam centres in Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ), Lao PDR. Press Release below. pic.twitter.com/zzaeKej5vm

— India in Laos (@IndianEmbLaos) January 27, 2025

Taking to X, the embassy said that the victims were duped, trafficked into cyber-scam centres and forced to work under intimidation and abuse by criminal syndicates.

More from World

Earthquake of magnitude 5.9 jolts Assam, tremors felt in Bhutan and north Bengal 5 US F-35 jets land in Puerto Rico amid tensions with Venezuela

Embassy officials quickly responded to the youth’s requests for assistance, offering the necessary help and arranging their transport from Bokeo to Vientiane.

“A team of Embassy officials travelled to GTSEZ at once and worked closely with concerned Lao authorities to achieve required procedures and paperwork to enable them to leave GTSEZ and travel to the Embassy in Vientiane,” Embassy of India in Laos said in a statement.

Ambassador Prashant Agrawal met with the rescued Indians, reassuring them of their safety and the embassy’s full support for their return to India. The ambassador also guided them on the next steps, including filing complaints against the agents who deceived them.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

The embassy said that officials are currently collaborating closely with the relevant Lao authorities to finalise their exit formalities, after which they will return to India shortly.

“We thank Lao authorities for their cooperation. We have also requested action at their end against unscrupulous elements and the matter has been raised at the highest levels,” the statement added.

This rescue brings the total number of Indians saved in Laos to 924, with 857 having already returned to India.

The embassy also cautioned Indian youth about job offers in Laos that could involve cyber-scam activities.

“Indian youth who may have been promised a job in Thailand, but upon arrival there, are asked to travel by road to Chiang Rai close to the Thai-Lao border, are cautioned that this is a sure indication that they are being trafficked to GTSEZ in Lao PDR. Once they arrive in GTSEZ, their passports may be taken away by criminal syndicates and they are made to sign a so-called ‘work contract’ in a foreign language, which endangers them to exploitation,” the embassy said in the advisory.

With inputs from agencies