The accused have been identified as Rafi Islam alias Rafiul Islam, Shafi Alam alias Sophi Alom alias Saidul Islam, and Mohammad Usman, all residents of Myanmar. The NIA said in its chargesheet that they were involved in the illegal infiltration of foreign nationals into India and were all part of a network of smugglers and touts.
The NIA has found strong evidence in the case that these people used to get Aadhaar cards made illegally for the infiltrators and also used to get the women to cross the border by promising them marriage. The NIA had started investigating the case on November 7, 2023. After which the National Investigation Agency busted this international human trafficking racket.
The NIA said that the accused were involved in the trafficking of Rohingya women and children from Myanmar to India. They would lure the victims with promises of a better life in India and then smuggle them across the border. Once in India, the victims would be forced into prostitution or other forms of forced labor.
The NIA said that the chargesheet has been filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including human trafficking, criminal conspiracy, and forgery. The agency said that it is committed to combating human trafficking and will continue to investigate such cases.
The case is a reminder of the growing problem of human trafficking in India. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, India is one of the largest source, destination, and transit countries for human trafficking. The country has a long coastline and porous borders, which makes it easy for traffickers to smuggle victims across the border.
The Indian government has taken a number of steps to combat human trafficking, including enacting the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act in 1956 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act in 2012. The government has also set up a National Anti-Trafficking Task Force to coordinate efforts to combat trafficking.
However, there are still a number of challenges that need to be addressed. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of awareness about human trafficking. Many victims are not aware that they are being trafficked and do not know how to get help.
Another challenge is the lack of coordination between different agencies involved in combating trafficking. This can lead to duplication of efforts and gaps in service provision.
Despite these challenges, the Indian government is committed to combating human trafficking. The government has taken a number of steps to address the problem and is working to raise awareness about human trafficking and to improve coordination between different agencies.