Chennai, May 26 (UNI) A total of 83 Tamils have been rescued so far who were taken to countries like Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar on tourist visas under the pretext of IT jobs and are forced to engage in illegal online activities.
The Tamil Nadu Government on Sunday warned that strict legal action will be taken through police against agents/agencies in Tamil Nadu sending people abroad for work without being registered with the Union Government.
In a statement here, Non Resident Tamils’ Welfare Department Commissioner B.Krishnamoorthy said Tamils are increasingly migrating to foreign countries for various employment opportunities.
It has been reported that they have been taken to Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar on tourist visas under the pretence of IT jobs and are pressured to engage in illegal online activities.
Those who refuse are subjected to electric shocks and physical abuse.
So far, this Department has rescued 83 Tamils from these countries, he said.
It is recently reported that Indian nationals are being lured for employment through Thailand in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) – also known as Laos. These fake jobs are for posts such as of Digital Sales and Marketing Executives or Customer Support Service by dubious companies involved in call centre scams and crypto currency fraud in Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos.
Mr Krishnamoorthy said agents in places such as Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore and India associated with these firms are recruiting Indian Nationals by taking simple interviews and the typing test and are offering high salaries, hotel bookings along with return air tickets and visa facilitation.
Victims are illegally taken across the border into Laos from Thailand and held captive to work in Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos under harsh and restrictive conditions.
At times, they are taken hostages by criminal syndicates indulging in illegal activities and forced to work in strenuous conditions under constant physical and mental torture, he pointed out.
Stating that Visa on Arrival in Thailand or Laos does not permit employment and the Lao authorities do not issue work permits to Indian nationals coming to Laos on such visas, Mr Krishnamoorthy said tourist visa is to be used only for the purpose of tourism.
Advising people not to fall prey to such illegal promises, he said “Please note that those convicted of human trafficking crimes have been sentenced up to 18 years in prison in Laos. Therefore, Indian nationals are advised not to get enticed and entrapped in such fraudulent or exploitative job offers and are requested to exercise extreme caution and verify the antecedents of recruiting agents as well as any company before taking up any job offer in Laos.”
To prevent Indians from falling into these traps and to stay alert against employment scams, it is advised to thoroughly investigate recruitment agents and the companies they will be working for before going abroad. Indian should only travel with an employment visa and a proper job contract and before travelling verify the authenticity of the visa through the Indian Embassy in the respective countries and the embassies of those countries in India, Mr Krishnamoorthy said.
