FIA Cracks Down on Human Trafficking Ring Selling Pakistanis into Cyber Slavery in Cambodia

Islamabad / Phnom Penh – February 4, 2026
Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has dismantled a sophisticated human trafficking syndicate responsible for luring and trafficking over 100 Pakistani nationals to Cambodia, where they were sold into forced labour in illegal online scam operations.
According to Deputy Director FIA (Cyber Crime Wing), the six-member gang operated a well-organized network:
4 members were based inside Pakistan and handled recruitment
2 members were permanently settled in Cambodia and managed the receiving end
Modus Operandi
The Pakistan-based suspects used social media platforms to post fake job advertisements offering attractive salaries for call center jobs in Cambodia. They specifically targeted educated young men and women with good computer skills and English proficiency.
Once victims contacted the traffickers:
They were promised monthly salaries of US$800–1,200
Visa, ticket, and initial accommodation arrangements were shown as “company-provided”
Each victim was sold to Cambodian scam compounds for US$2,000 per person
Upon arrival in Cambodia, victims were handed over to local criminal syndicates operating large-scale cyber-fraud compounds (commonly known as “scam parks” or “fraud factories”).
Victims’ ordeal
According to FIA investigators:
Pakistani nationals were confined against their will
Forced to run online romance scams, cryptocurrency frauds, and investment scams targeting people worldwide
Those who refused to participate or failed to meet daily targets were subjected to physical torture, food deprivation, electric shocks, and other forms of abuse
Passports were confiscated immediately upon arrival
The FIA says the gang has so far trafficked more than 100 Pakistanis using this method. Several victims who managed to escape or were rescued by Cambodian authorities have already recorded statements with Pakistani missions and law enforcement.
Arrests and Ongoing Operation
All four Pakistan-based members of the syndicate have been arrested in coordinated raids in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. The FIA has also frozen multiple bank accounts used to receive payments from Cambodia.
Efforts are underway in coordination with Interpol and Cambodian authorities to trace and rescue remaining victims still held in compounds, most of whom are reportedly located in Sihanoukville and Poipet border areas.
A senior FIA official stated:
“This is modern-day slavery disguised as overseas employment. These criminals exploited the dreams of young Pakistanis and sold them into digital slavery. We are working with international partners to dismantle the entire chain and bring every victim back home safely.”
The case has been registered under sections of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act 2018, Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, and relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Regional Context
Cambodia has become one of the major hubs for Southeast Asia’s multibillion-dollar cyber-scam industry, with thousands of foreign nationals — including many from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and African countries — reportedly trapped in such compounds.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy in Phnom Penh have been actively assisting in victim repatriation cases since 2023.
Authorities have urged Pakistani youth to verify any overseas job offer through official government channels and avoid paying large upfront fees to private agents.