Teen rescued from trafficking racket in Gujarat

Guwahati: The prompt action and minute investigation using human intelligence and technical intelligence of the SSB’s Sector Headquarters at Assam’s Mangaldai has resulted in the rescue of a 16-year-old from Nepal from a human trafficking racket in Gujarat.

She was trafficked to Gujarat in April.Three accused associated with human trafficking were arrested. SSB Inspector Manoj Kumar Sharma said that the investigation established that the entire human trafficking network was linked to a human trafficking syndicate operating along the Nepal-Bihar border.Inspector Manoj Kumar Sharma ( intelligence), Sector Headquarters, SSB, Mangaldai, said that the sector headquarters received the information on June 5 that a 16-year-old Nepalese minor girl waslured away and wentmissing on April 24.Inspector Sharma initiated a detailed investigation through human intelligence (HUMINT), technical intelligence (TECHINT), digital tracking and other confidential sources.“During the investigation, it became evident that this was not an ordinary missing person case but could be a case involving an organised cyber human trafficking syndicate,” the officer added.The investigation revealed that the human trafficking syndicate uses modern technology to first establish contact with minor girls and young women through social media and online gaming platforms.

“The traffickers create fake profiles on Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, WeChat, TikTok and online gaming platforms such as Roblox and Free Fire to befriend victims. Gradually, they develop emotional relationships and lure them by offering promises of love, employment, modelling, films, foreign travel, a better lifestyle, marriage or financial assistance,” the statement issued from SSB reads.The statement further stated that after gaining their trust, the victims are called from Nepal and the border areas of Bihar to Rajasthan, Gujarat and other states, where they are allegedly held captive and may be subjected to sexual exploitation, forced labour, production of online obscene content, blackmail or other criminal activities.The investigation further disclosed that the syndicate functions through two separate teams. “The first team consists of cyber experts who identify and trap girls through social media and online gaming platforms. The second team comprises well-dressed individuals with influential personalities and respectable social identities who convince the victims that they are entering a safe environment, accompany them and subsequently hand them over to the trafficking network,” the statement reads.The officer added that continuous surveillance was maintained over the movement of the suspects through technical as well as human intelligence during June 30-July 1.Throughout the operation, Inspector Manoj Kumar Sharma promptly shared the intelligence inputs received with additional inspector general of police Uma Chaturvedi, Nepal Police Headquarters at Kathmandu, and Superintendent of Police Sudip Raj Pathak, Parsa district, Nepal.“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, the Nepal Police detained three key suspects associated with the trafficking syndicate and initiated interrogation,” he added.The officer added that after the victim’s location was confirmed in Gujarat, Mission Mukti Foundation (a Delhi-based rescue and relief NGO) director Virendra Kumar Singh led a joint operation in coordination with the local police and other concerned agencies.“During the special rescue operation conducted on July 3, the Nepalese minor girl was rescued safely,” Sharma added.He further added, “The entire operation has emerged as an example of internationally coordinated intelligence action, in which Indian and Nepalese agencies worked together.”