The CBI on Wednesday (May 6, 2026) raided nine locations across four states in its probe into trafficking of Indian nationals to Southeast Asian countries under the pretext of lucrative overseas jobs and arrested one person from Lucknow, officials said.

According to an official statement, investigations revealed that victims were lured with "false promises of high-paying employment" and transported to scam compounds in countries such as Myanmar and Cambodia, where they were forced into cyber fraud operations in conditions described as “cyber slavery”.

Victims were subjected to "severe restrictions on movement", with their passports often confiscated upon arrival, the agency said.

It added that there were instances of "physical and psychological harassment", and in several cases, victims were compelled to arrange ransom payments from their families for release.

As part of the probe, the CBI conducted coordinated searches in Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Kashipur, and areas in Gonda and Saharanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh, following a nationwide enquiry in which statements of victims were recorded.

The agency said it carried out "detailed financial analysis, including tracking cryptocurrency transactions" to identify those involved in the trafficking network, and seized electronic devices containing incriminating evidence during the searches.

One person was arrested in Lucknow for his alleged role in facilitating the trafficking operations, the statement said.

Preliminary findings suggest that agents "receive payments from operators of scam compounds" in exchange for supplying Indian nationals, it said.