The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested five individuals in connection with their alleged involvement in international human trafficking and cyber fraud activities.

According to the central agency, search operations were conducted in collaboration with local police at multiple locations across six states and Union Territories.

The arrested persons used to lure youths by making false promises to provide them employment opportunities in foreign countries, the agency said in an official statement.

According to the NIA, the arrested persons have been identified as Manish Hingu from Vadodara, Prahlad Singh from Gopalganj, Nabialam Ray from southwest Delhi, Balwant Kataria from Gurugram and Sartaj Singh from Chandigarh. They were apprehended following a crackdown on 15 locations spread across Maharashtra, UP, Bihar, Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh.

It is alleged that they were operating under the direction of foreign-based agents associated with well-organised syndicates active in several districts in Maharashtra, UP, Bihar, Gujarat, Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana.

The youth were allegedly forced to work at fake call centres in Laos, the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Cambodia, and other locations as part of the racket, which was controlled and operated mainly by foreign nationals.

They were allegedly coerced into engaging in various illegal online activities, including credit card fraud, investments in cryptocurrency using fake applications, honey trapping, etc., the agency added.

The NIA carried out a coordinated operation with state police forces and central intelligence agencies across all the locations, resulting in the seizure of several incriminating materials, including documents, digital devices, handwritten registers, multiple passports, bogus overseas employment letters, and other things.

A total of eight fresh FIRs have been registered by different state and UT police in this connection.

The anti-terror probe agency took over the case from the Mumbai police on May 13. It is learnt that the human trafficking syndicate had extended its tentacles beyond Mumbai by establishing linkages with other facilitators and traffickers across the country and also on the other side of the border.

Further investigations are underway, the statement added.