In a harrowing tale of deception and exploitation, four youths from Jagtial, Telangana, have recounted their nightmare experience of being lured to Laos under false pretenses, only to be sold to Chinese syndicates and forced into cyber crimes.The victims—Chilumula Praveen Kumar (33), Chetlapelli Mahesh (29), Gandla Anil Kumar (27), and Ayyori Mohan (21)—shared their ordeal with local police after returning to India on October 7. They were promised data entry jobs with lucrative salaries, but upon arrival in Laos on September 30, they were coerced into creating fake social media profiles to target NRIs for financial scams.Anil Kumar revealed that the agent, Gajarla Vamsi, charged each of them ₹2 lakh for the supposed job opportunity. Instead of the anticipated work, they were forced into a cyber fraud operation, working up to 18 hours a day under brutal conditions, with threats of violence and severe penalties for non-compliance. Mohan, who is differently abled, described being rejected for a position due to his typing speed, yet was later forced to contribute to the scam.The youths were trained to pose as women on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, engaging with unsuspecting individuals to lure them into investment schemes. Once they gained the victims’ trust, a hacking team would take over, draining their bank accounts.The victims were kept in deplorable conditions, denied adequate food and communication, and coerced into signing agreements using fake identities. One victim managed to secretly film a police raid on their facility, documenting the ongoing abuse.After weeks of distress, the youths sought help from an acquaintance in Andhra Pradesh, ultimately leading to their escape. Their story highlights the growing issue of cyber slavery, where individuals are exploited in foreign lands under the guise of employment.The police have initiated an investigation into the trafficking network, focusing on Vamsi and his accomplices, as authorities work to prevent further exploitation of vulnerable youth.