Laos: 47 Indians trapped in cyber scam centres rescued

At least 47 Indians trapped in cyber scam centres in Laos have been rescued from the Bokeo province of the country, the Indian embassy in the Southeast Asian country said on Saturday.

Indian authorities have been cautioning its nationals against fake job offers in Laos and urged them to conduct thorough due diligence to avoid being deceived.

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, said.

It said the embassy officials travelled from the capital Vientiane to Bokeo to liaise with local authorities for their rescue.

The statement added that Prashant Agrawal, the ambassador of India to Laos, met the group upon their arrival to discuss the challenges they faced and to advise further course of action.

The embassy has undertaken and completed all procedural requirements of Laos authorities for their repatriation to India, the statement said, adding that 30 of those have already safely returned to India or are on their way, while the remaining 17 are only awaiting travel arrangements to be firmed up and would be leaving the country soon.

Agrawal emphasised that 'ensuring safety and well-being' of Indians was a matter of top priority for the Embassy, the statement said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar last month discussed the issue of trafficking of Indian nationals with Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone during his visit to the Southeast Asian nation.

The Indian embassy in Laos last month rescued 13 Indians, who were lured into certain cyber-scamming centres in the country and sent them back home.

In Saturday's statement, the Indian Embassy urged the Laos government to take action at their end against unscrupulous elements.