A major human trafficking attempt was thwarted by immigration officers at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on the night of May 25, after they intercepted three passengers bound for Laos under suspicious circumstances. The prime accused, identified as Parthkumar Ajaybhai Chauhan, was allegedly attempting to traffic two young men by luring them with false promises of high-paying jobs abroad.
The incident came to light during the night shift when immigration officer Deepchand Lalji Singh, posted at Counter No. 13, was checking documents of passengers departing for Vietnam. Around 11 pm, Parthkumar Chauhan (29) and Yash Manubhai Prajapati (21), both from Gujarat, arrived for immigration clearance. They were booked on flight VJ-884 to Ho Chi Minh City and onward to Vientiane, Laos, on flight VJ-1831.
During questioning about the purpose of their visit to Laos, both claimed they were going for employment. However, inconsistencies in their responses raised suspicion, especially when it emerged that Parthkumar was accompanying Yash and had arranged the entire travel. The matter was escalated to Wing In-charge Rajesh Chaurasia for further investigation.
While this interrogation was ongoing, another passenger, Arun Shanbhai Jinjala (20), approached Counter No. 14 and was found to be on the same flight. Immigration officer Rajesh Ranjan questioned him and, suspecting similar intentions, also referred him to the wing in-charge.
A detailed inquiry by Mr. Chaurasia and Duty Officer Mohit Gugulmane revealed that Parthkumar Chauhan had a history of involvement in online “chatting scams” during his previous stays in Laos. He confessed that between December 2024 and March 2025, he was active in fraudulent schemes targeting citizens of the USA, Canada, and Australia by luring them into cryptocurrency scams via social media.
Parthkumar admitted that he was returning to Laos to resume similar activities and had convinced Yash and Arun to accompany him by offering them fictitious jobs in the IT sector with salaries ranging from Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 per month. Both youths, recent BCA graduates from Surat, were unaware of the illegal nature of the activities they were being drawn into.
Following the revelations, the immigration department concluded that the accused had consipired to traffic the two youths under the guise of overseas employment. All three were immediately handed over to Sahar Police Station for further action. Legal proceedings against Parthkumar Chauhan have been initiated, while detailed questioning of the other two is underway.
The swift action by vigilant immigration officers not only prevented a potential trafficking case but also exposed a recurring network involving cyber scams across international borders.