As many as 65 women, including 34 from Thailand who were allegedly trafficked for flesh trade, were rescued by the Cyberabad Police from 12 spas and massage parlours here in a major crackdown.
Police have arrested one Dasari Sidharth, suspected to be the kingpin, and 19 others on charge of trafficking women and running the flesh trade under the guise of the spas and massage centres.
"Several special teams conducted raids in a coordinated manner and almost all of the spas and massage parlours were found to be indulging in illegal activities like trafficking of women from foreign countries and North Eastern states and carrying out flesh trade," a senior police official said today.
He said the police had a reliable information that most of these facilities operating under the limits of Madhapur, Raidurgam and Gachibowli police stations were involved in illegal activities.
It was found that these centres have been indulged in trafficking by procuring girls from Thailand, North Eastern states and some local girls for flesh trade and other sexual services, the official said, adding that the accused used to collect heavy amounts from customers.
A total of 65 trafficked women, including 34 from Thailand, 21 from N-E states, one from Punjab and nine from Hyderabad were rescued during the raids.
The investigation has revealed that Siddarth, who is operating these facilities, is procuring teenaged girls from Thailand through a woman named Kake, a native of Thailand.
"She is transporting girls from Thailand under the guise of employment in massage centres on the monthly payment," the official said.
"The Thai girls came here on a business/ tourist visa. Once the girls reach Hyderabad, the accused used to take possession of their passports and engaged them in spas and massage parlours run by him for flesh trade and other sexual services other than the massage," according to police.
He further said as there is a likelihood of these premises continuing their illegal activities, the executive magistrate is being requested to seize them.
Criminal cases have been booked against these spas under relevant sections of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and under appropriate sections of the IPC.
"The victims are being sent for medical examination. The investigation will also focus on online booking, payment gateways, trail of money transactions, bank accounts and transaction details, etc," the official added.
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