India begins repatriation of citizens from Myanmar cyber-scam hubs
India has begun repatriating its nationals who were trapped in cybercrime centres in neighbouring Myanmar, following a military raid on the sprawling hub. The first group of 270 Indians, many of whom had fled the centre to Thailand, was flown back on special flights coordinated by India’s diplomatic missions.
The raid in question targeted the innermost layer of the compound known as “KK Park” near Myawaddy, a site long reported to be used for large-scale online fraud and gambling operations. After Myanmar’s forces moved in, hundreds of foreign workers, including Indians, crossed the state border into Thailand’s Mae Sot region.
Once the workers crossed into Thailand, they were held temporarily by Thai authorities as their immigration status was verified. India’s embassy in Bangkok and its consulate in Chiang Mai worked with Thai officials to charter aircraft and repatriate the first batch. More flights are expected for other nationals still stranded.
Officials noted that the youths had been lured by false job offers advertised as “high-pay IT or data-entry roles,” only to find themselves coerced into online scam activities under duress. The mode of operation involves forced labour, passport confiscation, long working hours, and running fraudulent investment/gambling operations overseas.
In the aftermath, authorities in India have issued strong advisories to citizens considering overseas work. These include verifying recruiting agents, checking job contract authenticity, and being aware that visa-free entry into Thailand is meant for tourism or short business, not employment.
