In a significant crackdown on human trafficking, the Thane City Crime Branch has arrested a female agent involved in the illicit trade and rescued three victims from her control. The agent, who had been operating for the past 2-3 years, was responsible for supplying girls for trafficking in cities including Vadodara, Surat, Lonavala, Mumbai, Mira-Bhayandar, and Thane. The operation, led by Senior PI Chetna Chaudhary of the AHTC (Anti-Human Trafficking Cell), was triggered by a tip-off about the agent’s plans to deliver victims to clients in the Anand Nagar Signal area, near Wine and Dine Hotel. The agent had been using WhatsApp to send photos of victims to clients for sexual exploitation purposes.
In a coordinated effort, the Crime Branch team set up a sting operation by deploying a decoy client and witness. During the raid, the team successfully apprehended the female agent and rescued three victims from her control. The Crime Branch is now investigating the lodging and boarding facilities used for these activities and the number of accomplices involved in the racket. Legal proceedings are underway under various sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita and the PITA (Prevention of Immoral Traffic Act), with the rescued victims being sent to a women’s rehabilitation center.
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The operation, which exposed a significant sex trafficking network, was conducted under the guidance of senior officials from the Thane City Police Commissionerate. Key contributors to the successful raid included Senior PI Chetna Chaudhary, PSI D.V. Chavan, ASI Shradha Kadam, and other members of the AHTC Thane City team.