Mumbai: The Social Service (SS) branch of Mumbai Police has rescued two women, both from Uzbekistan, and unearthed a flesh trade racket operating at a four star hotel in Juhu.
While police have arrested the kingpin of this racket, Rajeshkumar Lal, they have also booked an Uzbek, Zarina, who operates from the central Asian country in the case.
In another incident, Unit 12 of the crime branch arrested a man and rescued three women from Bangladesh and West Bengal, who were being forced into the flesh trade at Rawalpada in Dahisar.
Police said, Zarina, a human trafficker, met Bollywood production manager Lal in Mumbai, also in the same line of work, a few years ago. The duo began to collaborate.
Zarina sent Uzbek women to India for the flesh trade, getting paid Rs 80,000 per woman.
A police team received a tip-off that two Uzbeks were to arrive at the five-star Zed Luxury Hotel in Juhu and accordingly laid a trap. On Friday, when Lal came to the hotel with these women, he was immediately intercepted by SS branch police and arrested. During investigation, it was confirmed that Zarina operated the sex worker racket from Uzbekistan.
Accordingly, Zarina and Lal were booked under relevant sections of the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act and Indian Penal Code.
Meanwhile, in another instance, the crime branch arrested Sanjay Govind Das, 35, and rescued three women from Dahisar, including a Bangladeshi national. Police had raided the premises acting on a tip-off and found the women. While Das was arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act and Indian Penal Code, the women were sent to a shelter home, where they will be counselled and sent back home.
