How Bangladeshi Girls Were Trafficked Into India for Rs 5,000 Each

New Delhi: Flesh trade operators in Hyderabad paid Rs 4,000-5,000 per girl to agents along the India- Bangladesh border in West Bengal for trafficking Bangladeshi girls into India, according to an Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation.

The ED launched a money laundering probe based on a case filed by the Telangana Police, which was later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The case involved a human trafficking and prostitution racket run by two brothels on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

ED Attached Assets Worth Rs 1.90 Lakh

On Thursday, the ED provisionally attached assets worth Rs 1.90 lakh, including funds in Paytm wallets, bank accounts, and an immovable property of Ruhul Amin Dhali, who was identified as one of the most prominent agents involved in the trafficking network.

Trafficking Network and Fake Documents Used

The accused ran brothels across Hyderabad and also sent victim girls to other brothels and agents on a commission basis, the ED found. They used fake Indian identity documents to open bank accounts and online wallets for illegal transactions.

"For trafficking the Bangladeshi girls and others, the accused were paying Rs 4,000-5,000 per person to agents near the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal. This amount was shared between multiple traffickers on both sides of the border," the ED stated.

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Payments Made Through Banking Channels and Hawala

Investigators discovered that payments for trafficking were made via bank transactions and cash. The traffickers concealed their money trail by using money transfer services and structured payments into small amounts to evade detection by authorities.

"A substantial part of the proceeds of crime were found to be remitted to multiple persons near the Bangladesh border. These funds were withdrawn in cash and handed over to hawala agents, who ensured that money reached the victims’ families in Bangladesh," the ED said. The bKash mobile banking service of Bangladesh Bank was sometimes used to transfer money.

Most Accused Were Bangladeshi Nationals

The NIA investigation revealed that most of the arrested accused were Bangladeshi nationals who entered India illegally without valid travel documents. They obtained fake Indian identity documents and, despite multiple arrests, continued to engage in prostitution and trafficking.

The traffickers lured young girls into India through illegal border crossings in West Bengal, promising them jobs in beauty parlours, tailor shops, steel factories, and as housemaids. However, once in India, the girls were forced into flesh trade.

Six Accused Sentenced to Life Imprisonment

A special court awarded life imprisonment to six accused in one of the cases probed by the NIA, the ED confirmed. The investigation is still ongoing, and more arrests are expected in connection with the trafficking racket.