Mumbai Police Crack Down on Overseas Job Scam, Seize 238 Passports from Travel Firms

In a major crackdown, the Mumbai Crime Branch and the Protector of Emigrants conducted joint raids at a tours and travels firm in Nagpada’s D. Shopping Centre and eight other establishments for allegedly duping Indian citizens with promises of overseas jobs. The agencies seized a total of 238 Indian passports during the operation.

According to officials, several agencies were luring job-seekers with employment opportunities abroad despite not possessing the mandatory licence issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. These entities were allegedly collecting large sums of money from applicants and cheating them under the guise of processing jobs in foreign countries.

Acting on specific intelligence received by the Crime Intelligence Unit, the joint team carried out raids on 3 December at K.D. Shopping Centre in Nagpada under Section 35 of the Immigration Act. During the action, operations at nine illegal establishments were uncovered, all of which were allegedly involved in sending citizens abroad for employment through unlawful means.

The team seized 238 passports, a large number of employment offer letters, log books, visiting cards, rubber stamps, and various other documents used for overseas job recruitment.

A case has been registered at Nagpada Police Station under BNS Sections 318(2) and 318(4) along with relevant provisions of the Immigration Act, 1983 (Sections 10 and 24). Further investigation has been handed over to the Crime Branch Unit 1.