Surat: A dream of high-paying jobs turned into a nightmare for two Gujaratis. Under the pretext of a job in Bangkok, they were taken to Myanmar, where a Chinese gang forced them at gunpoint to commit cyber fraud. When the youths refused to participate, they were allegedly held in a “private jail” and beaten severely. Ultimately, they were rescued through a covert operation conducted by Surat police.

The 24-year-old youth from the Rander area of the city and another young man from Vadodara stated that they had contacted an agent only with the hope of securing a job in Bangkok. On July 20, both reached Bangkok. From there, they were made to board a vehicle along with other youths from Uttar Pradesh and Hyderabad and taken about 400 km into a forested area of Myanmar. While crossing the Myanmar border, the vehicle was changed several times.

Finally, after crossing a river, they were taken on foot through dense forest to a secret camp, where members of the Chinese gang were present. The youths were told that they now had to work for the “company,” which involved carrying out online scams targeting citizens around the world.

According to reports, the covert operation was conducted with international cooperation. With the help of authorities, the youths were safely brought back from Myanmar. Police have begun investigating the agent who lured the youths. Efforts are now underway to identify and arrest other agents and gang members involved in the online fraud racket. Earlier, Surat police had busted this racket and arrested three individuals in connection with the matter. DeshGujarat