Indian job seekers trafficked to Myanmar scam camps: CBI arrests key accused

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Mumbai-based man identified as Sunil Nellathu Ramakrishnan , alias Krish, for allegedly masterminding a transnational human trafficking network that lured Indian job seekers into cyber scam compounds in Myanmar.

According to officials, the accused was apprehended in Mumbai after being placed under close surveillance by the agency. Investigators tracked his movements over a period of time and arrested him soon after he landed in the city , indicating prior intelligence inputs and sustained monitoring. The arrest follows complaints and testimonies from multiple victims who were repatriated to India earlier this year.

The case came to light after Indian nationals, rescued and brought back from Southeast Asia in March and November 2025 , detailed their ordeal to authorities. Based on these accounts, the CBI identified an organised trafficking network that targeted employment-seeking youth across India , including individuals from Delhi, Maharashtra, Telangana, and other states .

Officials said the accused and his associates lured victims with promises of lucrative jobs in Thailand, arranging their travel from Delhi to Bangkok. However, upon arrival, the victims were illegally transported across borders into Myanmar, particularly to the Myawaddy region, where they were taken to notorious scam hubs such as KK Park facilities widely linked to cyber fraud networks and cases of human trafficking and forced labour.

Once there, victims were held in captivity and forced into cyber fraud operations , including digital arrest scams, romance scams, and cryptocurrency investment frauds, targeting people worldwide, including in India. Many victims reported being subjected to physical abuse, psychological coercion, constant surveillance, and severe restrictions on movement .

While officials have not disclosed the exact number of victims linked directly to Ramakrishnan, sources indicate that the network impacted dozens of Indian nationals , forming part of a larger international trafficking syndicate operating across Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia .

Subsequent searches at the accused’s residence led to the seizure of crucial digital evidence , including communication records and data linked to trafficking operations and overseas scam centres. The CBI said investigations are ongoing to identify other members of the syndicate , trace financial flows, and dismantle the wider network facilitating cyber slavery in Southeast Asia.