HYDERABAD: Cybercrime gangs are looking at Nepal as a potential new base after crackdowns in Cambodia and Myanmar forced them to abandon their existing operations. Indian authorities have found that some gang members who fled the two countries are looking towards India, while key masterminds, many of them Chinese nationals, are attempting to establish new centres in Nepal.Indian agencies have begun efforts to contain these networks before they become entrenched in the neighbouring country.US pressure prompts military action against cybercrime hubsCybercrime syndicates have been operating for five to six years in Cambodia and Myanmar, setting up centres resembling software companies and recruiting hundreds of employees.The gangs have particularly targeted Indian youth with job offers, recruited them and then forced them to commit cybercrimes. Many of the syndicate operators are Chinese nationals.Following international criticism and mounting pressure from the United States, the governments of both countries responded by deploying their militaries to crack down on the operations.Cambodia launches raids and deports foreign nationalsThe Cambodian government established a special body called the Ad Hoc Commission for Combating Technology Crime (ACT), according to the source report.Authorities identified 785 locations where cybercrime gangs had established offices and conducted coordinated raids. They arrested 58,266 foreign nationals, including 7,288 women from 35 countries, and deported them to their respective countries. Thousands of Indians were among those deported.Myanmar targets 150 buildings at KK ParkThe Myanmar government also launched a crackdown similar to Cambodia’s.At KK Park in Karen State, along the Thai border, authorities identified 150 buildings, including a four-storey hospital, that were allegedly being used for cybercrime operations. Police launched raids and detained people at the site.The source contains an inconsistency in the figures: it states that 1,551 people were detained but subsequently says that 2,471 Indians were identified among them. These figures have been retained as reported in the source and require verification.Cybercrime threat persists despite regional crackdownsThe actions taken by the Cambodian and Myanmar governments have led to a decline in cybercrime activity, according to the report.In Telangana, the number of cybercrime cases and the amount of money lost by victims fell by 27% in the first six months of the year compared with the last six months of the previous year, the report states.However, gangs accustomed to making hundreds of crores of rupees are apparently unwilling to abandon the business and are exploring new locations. Authorities have found that some are looking at India, while others are seeking opportunities in Nepal.Chinese nationals may be able to blend in more easily with local populations because their physical appearance is less likely to attract suspicion, the report says.Indian investigative agencies have traced some cybercrime suspects to Nepal while attempting to establish their whereabouts. They have now begun efforts to prevent the networks from taking root there.As part of this exercise, agencies have started trying to establish the current whereabouts of Indian and Chinese nationals detained in Cambodia and Myanmar.
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