Crime branch busts international job racket, arrests Karnataka man

Panaji: The crime branch of Goa police on Tuesday busted an international job scam that allegedly promised Goans employment in foreign countries, particularly Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
The crime branch arrested 52-year-old Karnataka resident Mohammad Haji for his alleged connection in the case. Superintendent of police (SP) crime branch Rahul Gupta said, “The scam spanned various countries, including India, Thailand, and Cambodia.”
Gupta said that during interrogation, the accused admitted to being involved in the job scam with associates in other parts of the country.
“The bank accounts that were used to receive money have been frozen. Efforts are on to trace other accused persons so that we can uproot the illegal recruitment network. The mobile phones of the accused have been recovered with incriminating evidence,” Gupta said.
“We request all family members of individuals working in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam to verify the whereabouts of their relatives. Those engaged in cybercrimes in these countries are advised to return immediately. Failure to do so will result in legal action initiated by Goa police,” Gupta said.
Gupta added that the crime branch is collecting information on Goans overstaying in these countries.
In one of the incidents, a woman from Quepem lured two victims with the promise of lucrative job opportunities in Thailand, offering a monthly remuneration of Rs 60,000. The victims left Goa on Feb 14 and landed in Thailand on Feb 15. However, upon arrival, they were taken to Cambodia and placed in a call centre instead of the promised casino job. They returned to Goa in March 2024 after making medical excuses.
In another incident, Nashir Ahamad Tigadi from Karnataka and Mohammad Haji, who runs ‘Excellent Services’ recruitment agency in Mumbai, promised one victim a high-paying job in Cambodia with a monthly salary of Rs 1 lakh. “Upon his arrival in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on April 11, he was taken to ‘Dana Technologies’, a company involved in fraudulent activities, including creating fake social media accounts to lure potential victims into cryptocurrency trading scams. This victim returned in May 2024,” Gupta said.