MBVV police bust sex trade racket and human trafficking ring, rescue 17-year-old

Mumbai: The MBVV police busted a sex trade racket and unearthed a human trafficking ring, resulting in the rescue of a 17-year-old girl from a flat in Virar (west)

Mumbai: The MBVV police busted a sex trade racket and unearthed a human trafficking ring, resulting in the rescue of a 17-year-old girl from a flat in Virar (west). The accused, identified as Ashok Das, an immigrant from Bangladesh, was apprehended for his alleged involvement in the flesh trade. During their investigation, the officials learned that the arrested accused had allegedly smuggled over 200 women and girls from Bangladesh in the past to sell them off to brothels in Mumbai.

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According to Santosh Chaudhary, an officer from Mira-Bhayander-Vasai-Virar (MBVV) police’s Social Service Branch , they acted on a tip-off that a sex trade racket was going on in a flat on the 21st floor of the D-7 MHADA building in Virar (west). The officials, along with the Arnala police, searched the apartment and found a minor girl. The girl was rescued and Das was arrested under sections of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA).

During interrogation, Das confessed to having smuggled over 200 women and girls from Bangladesh in the past, luring them with promises of better jobs in Mumbai. He revealed that his accomplices assisted in bringing them through the border to Kolkata. Das used to keep the women in a rented apartment and allegedly made forged birth certificates, showing Kolkata as their birthplace. “Das confirmed that every week at least two women are brought to India through the border,” said a police officer from Arnala police station.

After acquiring their birth certificates, Das transported the women to Nalasopara and Virar. The victims were kept in rented flats before being sold to brothels in Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai.

“We have arrested Das and are tracing his accomplices who helped him smuggle the women to India. We have also seized the rent agreement of the flat which was being used by Das for flesh trade,” stated a police officer. The authorities are now verifying the rent agreement to ascertain how Das managed to secure the flat with forged documents and the source of those documents.