In a major operation, the Anti-Extortion Unit of Thane Crime Branch rescued 15 women from Thailand who were brought to India and forced into prostitution under the pretext of lucrative job opportunities. The raid conducted at Sitara lodging in Ulhasnagar early this morning, led to the arrest of five individuals, including the manager of a lodge where the illegal activities were taking place.
The raid was carried out at Sitara Lodging and Boarding in Section 17, Ulhasnagar, following intelligence about foreign women being lured into prostitution with promises of financial gain. The police team, under the guidance of officers Shekhar Bagde and Naresh Pawar, sent a decoy customer to confirm the information before conducting the raid at 1:10 AM.
During the operation, the police arrested Kuldeep alias Pankaj Jayraj Singh, 37, the manager of the lodge, along with four other workers. The team also seized cash amounting to 5,27,000 rupees and other relevant materials from the premises.
A case has been registered at the Central Police Station under Section 143 (1), 143 (3) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita along with Section 3, 4 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act 1956. The police are continuing their investigation to uncover the full extent of this international human trafficking network and to identify any other individuals involved in the racket.