NIA crackdown on human trafficking racket; 5 people arrested, including a social media influencer

Lina PortmanMay 28, 2024

0 2 minutes read

Updated May 27, 2024, 11:51 PM IST

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested five people in connection with a human trafficking case.

National Bureau of Investigation (file photo)

New Delhi: As part of a major breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (ANI) arrested five people on Monday in connection with a human trafficking case. The NIA carried out raids at several locations in six States/UTs as part of joint operations with local police. The development came days after reports of 300 Indians being trafficked to Cambodia under the pretext of fraudulent employment have surfaced.

The raids were carried out in 15 locations across Maharashtra, UP, Bihar, Gujrat, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh. Those arrested were identified as Manish Hingu from Vadodara, Pahlad Singh from Gopalganj, Nabialam Ray from southwest Delhi, Balwant Kataria from Gurugram and Sartaj Singh of Chandigarh. Notably, Balwant Kataria is a social media influencer.

“The NIA carried out a coordinated operation with the state police force and central intelligence agencies at all locations. The searches led to the seizure of several incriminating materials, including documents, digital devices, records manuscripts, multiple passports, fake foreign employment letters, etc. Eight new FIRs have been registered by different state/UT police forces and five accused have been arrested,” the agency said. central in a press release.

The NIA investigation revealed that the accused was involved in an organized trafficking syndicate that lured and trafficked Indian youth to foreign countries on the basis of false promises of legal employment.

“The youths were forced to work in fake call centers in Laos, the Golden Triangle SEZ and Cambodia, among other locations, as part of the racket, controlled and operated mainly by foreign nationals. were forced to undertake illegal activities online, such as credit card fraud, cryptocurrency investments using fake apps, honey trapping, etc.,” the statement added.

The investigation further revealed that the arrested accused were coordinating with traffickers operating across the international border to facilitate illegal smuggling of Indian youth from Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam into the Laos SEZ.

“They were working at the behest of foreign-based agents belonging to well-organized unions active in several districts of Maharashtra, UP, Bihar, Gujrat, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, etc. These syndicates were further linked to agents based in other parts of India, as well as foreign countries like UAE, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos SEZ, etc.,” a the NIA said in a statement.

The NIA had taken over the case from Mumbai Police on May 13 this year. It was found that the human trafficking syndicate was not only operating in Mumbai but had links with other facilitators and traffickers in various parts of the country and across the border.

Last week, the first batch of 60 Indian nationals rescued by the Indian Embassy in Cambodia from the hands of fraudulent employers returned home on Thursday. The Indian Embassy in Cambodia thanked the Cambodian authorities for their rescue assistance. According to reports, 300 Indians were trafficked to Cambodia under the pretext of fraudulent employment.

“Always committed to helping Indians abroad. The first batch of 60 Indian nationals rescued by the Indian Embassy in Cambodia from the hands of fraudulent employers are returning home. Let us thank the Cambodian authorities for their support,” a tweeted the Indian embassy in Cambodia.

On May 21, around 300 trafficked Indians staged a protest. Out of 300 Indians trapped, around 100-150 from Visakhapatnam. They were attracted by the data entry operator job offer in Singapore by the local agents.