Chennai: Anti-vice squad sleuths rescued two foreign nationals from a prostitution racket during a raid late last night here.
Acting on a tip-off, officials closely monitored certain five star hotels across the city for over a week. The police said the network had been operating clandestinely for over a year now, adding that ‘it operated throughout the country with customer base spread across metropolitan cities.’
The well-established racket, which has its roots in Bengaluru, carried out all its activities online to evade authorities’ attention. Customers booked their slots online and thus avoided any direct communication with the operators. ‘The perpetrators contacted two women hailing from Uzbekistan and Ukraine and brought them to the country using tourist visa. The women were initially taken to Delhi and Mumbai and Chennai was their last stop,’ police added.
A team headed by Assistant Commissioner Maheshwari and Inspector Mahalakshmi raided a five star hotel on Radhakrishnan Salai in Mylapore, rescued the two women and arrested four brokers. The women have been sent to a rehabilitation centre in the city. Bengaluru-based Sameer who is said to be the main accused is absconding.
HOT AND HAPPENING
Well-established sex racket operating from Bengaluru
Has branches all over country, especially metro cities
Foreign women brought to India on foreign visa
Slots booked through online
