Victim of Laos scam returns home after horrific ordeal

KOZHIKODE: Rahul Das, 28, a resident of Kozhikode, has returned home after enduring a horrific ordeal in Laos as a victim of human trafficking. His story sheds light on the dark side of international job fraud and the dangers many unsuspecting individuals face when lured abroad with the promise of work.

Rahul was offered a well-paying job as a data entry clerk in Laos through the Kozhikode branch of a travel agency in Bengaluru. Trusting the truth of the opportunity offered by a resident of Kundaithode in Kozhikode, Rahul embarked on what he believed would be a path to financial stability.

“On August 4, I landed in Bangkok, Thailand. From there, I was taken to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. The reality of my situation began to unfold there. I was introduced to two Malayalis, Muhammad Ashiq and Shaheed, who acted as middlemen for the operation,” Rahul told TNIE. From there, he was taken to a call centre in the notorious Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, an area notorious for online scams, he said.

“The mafia running the centre operated under the guise of a gaming zone, but their real business was financial fraud. Like me, other Malayalis stuck in the centre were not physically harmed. But psychologically, we faced severe threats and coercion. The mafia used every tactic to enforce compliance, including forced drug consumption,” he said.

Rahul remained involved in the fraudulent operation for 15 days and lived in constant fear and under immense pressure.

The turning point came by chance, when a raid was conducted on the fraudulent ‘gaming zone’. Rahul seized the opportunity and managed to escape with his passport in hand. Determined to return home, he contacted the office of Minister Suresh Gopi for assistance. The timely intervention of the Minister’s office played a crucial role in securing his safe return to India, he said.

On his arrival in Kozhikode, a grateful Rahul said: “However much I thank the officials, it will not be enough.” At the same time, he also highlighted a grim reality: many other Malayalis are still stuck in Laos, victims of similar job scams. “Several people have already fallen for their trap and they will not be able to find the perpetrators because they operate from these small towns,” he said.

Rahul’s ordeal has not gone unnoticed. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has gathered information from him and the Kozhikode Rural Police has started an investigation into the matter.