Bangladesh, Sept. 24 -- Papua New Guinea authorities have rescued 39 Indonesian nationals believed to have been trafficked into the country to work in an alleged online scam operation, highlighting the growing connection between human trafficking and organized cybercrime.

The suspected operation was uncovered during a police raid on September 22 at a residential property in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. According to Papua New Guinea police Commissioner David Manning, 39 Indonesian citizens were found inside the property. The group consisted of 34 men and five women, all of whom were adults.

Manning told the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) that the individuals were living in extremely cramped co...