Indian Embassy in Laos rescues 47 nationals from cyber scam centres

At least 47 Indians, who were being held against their will in Laos and being forced to scam Indians back home online, were rescued today by officials. The government has been cautioning citizens against accepting job offers in Laos and Cambodia, some of which are fake and aimed at finding cyber slaves. The Indian mission has so far rescued 635 Indians from the country and ensured their safe return to India.

In the latest case, the embassy rescued 47 Indians trapped in cyber scam centres at the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Bokeo province, a statement from the Indian Embassy in Laos said.

"Of these, 29 were handed over to the Embassy by Laos authorities after their crackdown on illegal activities in Golden Triangle SEZ, while other 18 had approached the Embassy in distress, seeking help," the statement, which was posted on X (formerly Twitter), said.