New Delhi: In a large-scale rescue and repatriation effort, India brought back 270 of its citizens, including 26 women, from Thailand’s Mae Sot on Thursday after they escaped from cyber scam centres operating across Myanmar’s Myawaddy region.
The operation was coordinated by the Indian Embassy in Bangkok and the Consulate in Chiang Mai, working closely with Thai authorities. Two special Indian Air Force (IAF) flights were deployed to bring the rescued nationals home.
According to officials, the Indian nationals had crossed illegally into Thailand from Myanmar, where they were reportedly held by transnational cyber fraud syndicates. “The repatriation was facilitated in coordination with various agencies of the Royal Thai Government,” the Indian Embassy in Thailand said in a statement.
Investigations suggest many of those rescued had fallen victim to fake job offers that promised lucrative IT roles. Upon arrival in Myanmar, they were forced to work in illegal online scam operations run by criminal networks.
The Embassy confirmed that Indian missions in both Thailand and Myanmar are continuing efforts to secure the safe return of more nationals still trapped in similar conditions.
This repatriation follows India’s ongoing campaign to rescue citizens exploited by cybercrime networks in Southeast Asia. Just days earlier, New Delhi announced plans to bring back around 500 Indians caught in comparable situations after Myanmar authorities cracked down on cybercrime operations in the notorious KK Park compound and surrounding areas.
Officials have once again urged citizens to remain vigilant against fraudulent overseas job offers and to verify the legitimacy of recruiters and employers before accepting employment abroad. “Visa-free entry into Thailand for Indian passport holders is strictly for tourism or short business trips and must not be misused for employment,” authorities emphasized.
Over the past year, India has undertaken several such rescue missions across Southeast Asia as part of its efforts to dismantle trafficking-linked cyber scam networks. The United Nations estimates that tens of thousands of foreign nationals, particularly young IT professionals from South and Southeast Asia, remain trapped in forced online fraud operations in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos.
