Agartala, Nov 8: In a major operation against human trafficking networks spanning 10 Indian states and union territories, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), in cooperation with the Border Security Force (BSF) and state police forces, arrested 44 people and busted 5 trafficking modules in an extensive mission early on Wednesday morning.

A press release from the NIA revealed that the operation aimed to disrupt illicit human trafficking support systems responsible for the infiltration and settlement of illegal migrants along the Indo-Bangladesh border into India.

Following the registration of four human trafficking cases at NIA branches in Guwahati, Chennai, Bangalore, and Jaipur, simultaneous and coordinated raids and searches were conducted at 55 locations across various states and union territories, including Tripura, Assam, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry.

The initial case, FIR no: 12/2023 dated 9.9.2023, was initiated by the Assam Police’s Special Task Force (STF) and focused on a human trafficking network responsible for the infiltration and settlement of illegal migrants, including those of Rohingya origin. This network’s operations extended across several parts of the country, including regions along the Indo-Bangladesh international border.

Recognizing the case’s international and inter-state connections and its complexity, the NIA officially took charge of the investigation on October 6, 2023, by registering the case as RC 01/2023/NIA/GUW at the NIA Police Station in Guwahati.

NIA investigations into the case uncovered various modules of this illegal human trafficking network operating in different states, such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Jammu & Kashmir.

In response to these investigative findings, the NIA registered three new cases to dismantle the network’s modules in different regions and states of the country.

Coordinated raids were conducted early in the morning as part of the ongoing operation.

During the searches, the NIA seized various significant items, including digital devices like mobile phones, SIM cards, and pen drives. Additionally, a substantial number of identity-related documents, suspected to be forged, Indian currency exceeding Rs. 20 lakhs, and foreign currency amounting to 4550 USD were confiscated.

Following Wednesday’s operations, the NIA has arrested a total of 44 individuals. These arrests were made across various states, including 21 in Tripura, 10 in Karnataka, 5 in Assam, 3 in West Bengal, 2 in Tamil Nadu, and one each in Puducherry, Telangana, and Haryana.

Later in the evening, a special flight departed from MBB Airport in Agartala carrying 68 NIA team members and the 21 arrested individuals to New Delhi.

The arrested individuals will be presented before the respective jurisdictional courts.

Further investigations into the activities and modus operandi of these illegal human trafficking networks will continue in an effort to dismantle the entire ecosystem of these networks.

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