PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Diya TV) — Thousands of Indian women are being trafficked to Cambodia, caught in a web of exploitation orchestrated by Chinese scammers. These women are forced to lure unsuspecting individuals in India through deceptive nude calls. This distressing reality came to light through Munshi Prakash, a resident of Telangana, who was ensnared by these fraudulent activities.
Prakash, a college graduate in civil engineering, worked at an IT firm in Hyderabad and sought better job opportunities abroad. He posted his profile on job sites, which led to a trap set by “Vijay,” an agent in Cambodia. Vijay promised him a job in Australia, but first, Prakash needed to obtain travel history by traveling to Malaysia. However, upon arriving in Phnom Penh, Prakash was seized by Chinese nationals and taken to a large compound in Krong Bavet.
In this grim environment, Prakash and other Indian victims underwent ten days of training. Their task involved creating and using fake social media profiles of girls, primarily in Telugu and other languages, to scam people back home. When Prakash fell ill, he managed to record a video detailing his traumatic experiences and sent it to his sister in Tamil Nadu. This desperate plea prompted the Indian embassy, along with the governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, to intervene and rescue him.
Despite being initially rescued by Cambodian police, Prakash faced further challenges. The Chinese gang fabricated charges against him, leading to his arrest. After spending 12 days in jail, authorities discovered the charges were false, and Prakash was deported to Delhi. Alongside him, nine others were rescued.
About 3,000 Indians, many from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, remain trapped in Cambodia. These include girls coerced into making nude calls from detention camps. Victims hail from various Indian states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Mumbai, and Delhi. The gang profits from these cyber slaves by converting their earnings into cryptocurrency, then U.S. dollars, and finally Chinese Yuan.
Prakash’s experience reveals the horrifying treatment faced by these victims, including physical assault, torture, and detention. He managed to document his ordeal through a selfie video, which helped prompt the rescue efforts. The plight of women in these camps is particularly harrowing, as they are forced to make degrading nude calls to men.
Prakash’s journey to Cambodia began with a promise of employment but turned into a nightmare. He was taken to Phnom Penh from Kuala Lumpur on March 12. A local representative collected US dollars worth Rs 85,000 from him before Chinese nationals seized his passport and took him to Krong Bavet. In this compound, Prakash was placed in Tower C with other Indians and subjected to training in cyber scams.
The Chinese syndicate’s modus operandi involves creating fake dating and gaming apps to lure Indians and swindle them out of their money. The gang converts the ill-gotten gains from these cyber slaves into cryptocurrency, then U.S. dollars, and finally Chinese Yuan.
Despite resisting the gang initially, Prakash was forced to continue scamming. His plea for help through an email and a video to his sister led to the intervention of authorities. While Prakash was eventually rescued, his story highlights the dire situation of thousands still trapped in Cambodia. The exploitation of these victims continues to generate significant profits for the Chinese syndicate, perpetuating this cycle of cybercrime and human trafficking.
