Was forced to commit online fraud and do drugs, claims Kozhikode man who fled Laos

“I feel lucky that I got my life back...I had to suffer severe torture from the mafia gang. No one should have such a bad experience again,” said a native of Kozhikode, who was trapped in Laos as a victim of an online job scam. The 28-year-old, who managed to escape during a raid, is still in the clutches of fear of the bitter experience he had in the Southeast Asian country. (Due to security reasons, his identity cannot be revealed)

The other day, he reached home in Kozhikode. He had been recruited for a data entry job in Laos through the Kozhikode branch of a Bengaluru-based travel agency. He was in contact with a native of Kundayithode in Kozhikode.

He arrived in Bangkok on August 4 and then travelled to Vientiane, Laos. Malayalis Muhammad Ashiq and Shaheed were the intermediaries in Laos. The call centre was located in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, which is notorious for online scams. He has claimed that a mafia gang forced him to commit online financial fraud by speaking Malayalam.

“The centre operated under the guise of Game Zone. Although there was no physical harm, there was a severe threat. I was forced to use drugs, including cannabis,” said the man, who spent 15 days there.

He said the raid that helped him escape was accidental. “During the raid, I left the centre with my passport. Then, the attempt was made to reach home somehow. I contacted Union Minister Suresh Gopi's office for help. Timely intervention from there helped me reach home safely. I don't know how much I should thank Suresh Gopi sir and his team for this second life,” he said.

The man also added that many Malayalis are still stuck in Laos as victims of job scams. NIA officials have collected information about the incidents. Kozhikode Rural Police has also initiated an investigation.