MAPUSA
Goa Police with the help of NGO ARZ have busted an international sex racket in the beach village of Anjuna and arrested two persons from Kenya, while also rescuing five women aged between 19 to 27 years, who are also from Kenya.
The accused duo have been identified as 28-year-old Maria Dorcas and 22-year-old Wilkista Achista. Police are on the lookout for the third accused, a Nigerian who is absconding.
Police informed that the victims were young, educated and vulnerable women who were falsely promised jobs in the hospitality industry by agents working on behalf of the traffickers based in Goa.
After bringing them to India, the traffickers seized their passports and visas and forced them into prostitution.
The racket was operated by a close-knit group involving the two accused who operated largely online and leveraging escort websites to solicit clients, police said.
“The accused lured the victims to come to Goa and compelled them to work in massage parlours and then forced them to take part in flesh trade. They were manipulated in such a way that their passports were seized and they were not allowed to go out,” said Nidhin Valsan (IPS), SP North.
The victims were kept in two hotels in Anjuna from where the alleged prostitution racket was going on.
“We will take action against these hotels and even their management as per the law,” the SP informed.
Police informed that the NGO ‘ARZ’ was tipped off about the racket by a Bangalore-based NGO where the victims were initially pushed into prostitution.
Police then carried out targeted raids and rescued the five victims and apprehended the accused.
The victims have given their statement to ARZ NGO and after medical examination were sent to the protective home in Merces.
The accused have been arrested under Sections, 370, 370 (A), 370 (3) r/w 34 of the IPC and section 4, 5, 8 of immoral Traffic (prevention) Act 1956.
