Lucknow — In a major crackdown on international cybercrime, a joint team of the Cyber Crime Cell and Madeyganj Police Station has arrested one most-wanted cyber fraudster involved in a transnational human trafficking and cyber fraud racket. The gang lured innocent people across India with fake job offers in Bangkok (Thailand) and illegally trafficked them to Myanmar, where they were held captive and forced into cyber fraud activities.
Operation Overview
The arrested accused, identified as Zeeshan Khan (36), a resident of Mansurnagar, Chowk, Lucknow, was apprehended today and is being sent to judicial custody. During the arrest, police recovered:
- 04 smartphones
- 02 passports
- 03 ATM cards
- 22 bank cheque books/passbooks
- 01 SIM card and other materials
This arrest follows a First Information Report (FIR No. 38/2025) registered at Madeyganj Police Station based on a complaint by Sultan Salahuddin Rabbani and Sadiq Mirza. The complainants alleged that agents Javed Iqbal, Mohammad Ahmed Khan, Zeeshan Khan, and their associates promised them data entry jobs in Bangkok. However, once in Thailand, they were illegally transported to Myanmar, their passports were seized, and they were forced into cyber fraud.
Rescue Mission and Government Intervention
Both victims were rescued from Myanmar following a high-level military operation conducted jointly by the governments of Myanmar, Thailand, and China. The operation was initiated after a Chinese actor, Wang Xing (Xing Xing), went missing, prompting international search and rescue operations. The raid on KK Park in Myanmar exposed several call centers where people from various countries, including India, were held hostage and forced to commit cyber fraud.
With the assistance of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and military cooperation, approximately 540 Indian nationals were rescued, including 38 individuals from Uttar Pradesh, who returned home on March 11, 2025.
Earlier Arrests and Gang Modus Operandi
Earlier on March 15, 2025, two main accused, Javed Iqbal and Mohammad Ahmed Khan alias Bhaiyya, were arrested. Interrogation revealed that Javed Iqbal had contacts in Myanmar, particularly a friend named Raffaq Rahai, who worked as an HR executive in a fraudulent cyber firm. Victims were promised data entry jobs and sent to Bangkok. From there, Rahai’s men trafficked them illegally into Myanmar, seized their passports, and detained them to carry out cyber fraud under duress.
Those wishing to return to India were forced to pay Rs 3 lakh as ransom. Each trafficked individual fetched USD 500 for the gang. The gang also purchased multiple bank accounts from individuals across different cities to launder fraudulently acquired money.
Money Laundering Mechanism
The accused revealed that the cyber fraud money was transferred into various bank accounts set up by accomplices. Funds were withdrawn via ATMs across cities and then deposited into “safe accounts” to avoid detection. The money was further used to purchase USDT (Tether) in digital wallets via Ethereum (ERC20) and Tron (TRC20) networks. These crypto-assets were then transferred to foreign associates as part of their profit share.
Zeeshan Khan’s specific role was to connect with potential victims, assist in their trafficking, and facilitate logistics for illegal movement abroad.
Investigation into WhatsApp communications between Javed Iqbal and his associates revealed that most of the linked bank accounts had 41 cybercrime complaints across different states on the Cyber Police Portal.
Additional Case Details
Legal Case:
FIR No. 38/2025 under Sections 318(4)/140(4)/111/143/146/61(2)/3(5) BNS, Madeyganj Police Station, Lucknow.
Criminal History of Javed Iqbal:
- FIR No. 481/2022 under Sections 406/419/420/467/468/471 IPC, Vibhutikhand Police Station, Lucknow
- FIR No. 281/2021 under Sections 406/420 IPC, Wazirganj Police Station, Lucknow
Criminal History of Mohammad Ahmed Khan:
[Details truncated in original content but assumed to be under similar charges]
Police Statement
A senior official from the Cyber Crime Cell stated, “This gang exploited the aspirations of job-seekers and trapped them into a horrific cycle of trafficking and cybercrime. We are actively investigating other members of the syndicate and are committed to dismantling the entire network.”
Further investigations are underway to identify more victims and unravel the extent of the international cyber fraud ring. Authorities have urged citizens to verify foreign job offers through official channels and report any suspicious recruitment activities.
