Days after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) cautioned Indian nationals against falling prey to human traffickers on the pretext of lucrative job opportunities in several Asian countries, a batch of 17 Indian nationals is being repatriated from Laos. 

The repatriation mission being conducted by the MEA informed that the group of Indian nationals being duped in the guise of promising job opportunities were forced into conducting unsafe and illegal work in Laos. 

However, now they are safe and are on their way back home, the MEA added. 

EAM compliments Indian embassy in Laos for its successful efforts

Meanwhile, the External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar hailed the Indian Embassy in Laos and the Lao government authorities for the successful repatriation mission. 

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the External Affairs Minister said, “Modi ki guarantee works for all at home and abroad. 17 Indian workers, lured into unsafe and illegal work in Laos, are on their way back home. Well done @IndianEmbLaos. Thank Lao authorities for their support for the safe repatriation.”

It is pertinent to note that several cases of Indians being lured by fake promises of lucrative job opportunities come to light from different parts of the world. Though initially being enticed with high-paying jobs in foreign land, the trapped Indians once reached there were then forced to carry out unsafe and illegal activities. In the wake of the same, recently, a bunch of Indians in a video message shared on social media confirmed that they were being tricked into fighting Moscow’s war in Ukraine. 

Check background of prospective employer: MEA

Meanwhile, the MEA, in response to media reports on Indian nationals stuck in Cambodia, has also issued a release wherein it emphasizes a thorough background check of the prospective employer in the southeast Asian country.

“Our Embassy in Cambodia has been promptly responding to complaints from Indian nationals who were lured with employment opportunities to that country but were forced to undertake illegal cyber work. Collaborating closely with Cambodian authorities, it has rescued and repatriated about 250 Indians, of which 75 in just the last three months,” the MEA said. 

“Several advisories have also been issued by the Ministry and the Embassy of India in Cambodia to our nationals about such scams. We remain committed to helping all those Indian nationals in Cambodia who seek our support. We are also working with Cambodian authorities and with agencies in India to crack down on those responsible for these fraudulent schemes,” the MEA added.

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