India rescues 47 citizens from cyber scam centres in Laos; 635 rescued so far

NEW DELHI: The Indian embassy in Laos has successfully rescued 47 Indian citizens who were trapped in cyber scam centres located in the Bokeo province of the country.
This brings the total number of Indians rescued from Laos by the Indian authorities to 635 as they continue to warn against fraudulent job offers in the Southeast Asian nation and advise thorough due diligence to avoid falling victim to such scams.
According to the Indian Embassy’s statement posted on X, 29 rescued individuals were handed over by Laos authorities following a crackdown on illegal activities in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ). At the same time, the remaining 18 had sought help from the embassy directly. Embassy officials travelled from Vientiane to Bokeo to coordinate with local authorities for their rescue.

“Of these, 29 were handed over to the Embassy by Laos authorities after their crackdown on illegal activities in Golden Triangle SEZ, while another 18 had approached the Embassy in distress, seeking help,” the statement said.
Upon their arrival, the ambassador of India to Laos, Prashant Agrawal, met with the group to discuss their challenges and advised them on the next steps.
The embassy has completed all necessary procedural requirements for their repatriation to India, with 30 individuals having already safely returned or on their way, and the remaining 17 awaiting travel arrangements to be finalised before departing the country soon.
Ambassador Agrawal stressed that “ensuring safety and well-being” of Indians was a top priority for the embassy”. The issue of trafficking of Indian nationals was also discussed by external affairs minister S Jaishankar with Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone during his recent visit to the country.
This latest rescue operation follows a similar incident last month, where the Indian embassy in Laos rescued 13 Indians who had been lured into cyber-scamming centres in the country and facilitated their return home.