15 Bangladeshis held in Kathmandu over link to online fraud ring

The Nepalese police have arrested 15 Bangladeshi nationals on charges of preparing to run an online fraud or ‘scam center’ in the capital Kathmandu.

Four more Indian nationals have also been arrested with them. Investigators claim that they were working for a Chinese gang.

Police said that 19 foreign nationals were arrested in a raid in Kathmandu’s popular tourist area of ​​Thamel on Friday. Nepal Police investigation officers said that during the initial investigation, they got information about their involvement in an alleged online fraud ring.

According to the police, the main coordinator of the ring was a Chinese national, who is currently absconding.

Crime Investigation Office spokesperson and Superintendent of Police Rameshwar Karki said that an operation is underway to arrest the person.

Investigation revealed that most of the arrested Bangladeshis had previously worked in Cambodia. During interrogation, they said that some Chinese operators known there brought them to Nepal. Law enforcement agencies believe that preparations were underway to launch a similar operation in Nepal, modeled after the online scam centers operating in Cambodia and Myanmar.

Police allege that victims were blackmailed by collecting or sending objectionable images of women using social media. Later, the main tactic of the ring was to extort money by threatening them. Initial investigations also revealed that their target audience was not primarily Nepalese citizens; rather, citizens of Bangladesh and India were the main targets.

Police seized several computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices during the operation. Investigators are analyzing the data from these devices to collect information about the ring's activities and potential victims.

Nepalese police said that all 19 accused have been handed over to the country's immigration department for further legal action. After the investigation, the process of sending them back to their respective countries may begin.

Meanwhile, the investigation also revealed that the accused Chinese national had prepared to operate this operation by leasing an entire hotel in the Thamel area for a monthly rent of about seven lakh Nepalese rupees. The incident has raised new concerns about cyber fraud rings operating through foreign nationals in Nepal.