&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Surat hotel raid: 13 Thai women rescued from sex trafficking racket; nine arrested")
In a late-night operation, Surat’s Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) rescued 13 Thai women from an alleged sex trafficking ring being run from a hotel in Jahangirpura. The bust, which took place on Saturday (September 14) night, led to the arrest of nine individuals—five customers and four hotel staff members.
Acting on specific intelligence, the AHTU raided the fourth floor of a commercial complex where the hotel is located. The team found the door locked from inside and had to forcibly enter to catch those involved in the act. Among those arrested were hotel managers Rupesh Mishra (aka Maxi) and Bipin Babariya (aka Bunty), along with housekeeping staff Sanjay Hingade and Rahul Solanki. Police also detained five clients found at the scene.
Investigations revealed that the trafficking operation was being run by Vijay Kasture, a previously arrested suspect who resumed operations after securing bail. Kasture reportedly promoted the women through photographs sent to potential clients. He coordinated bookings via the hotel staff, who only admitted clients approved by him.
Authorities also recovered a QR code used for accepting payments, linked to a bank account under the name Yogesh Talekar. Police are still searching for another hotel manager, Ganpat Yadav, and a driver, Ashok Mama, believed to be involved in transporting the women. During the raid, officials seized eight mobile phones, cash, condoms, and other items considered as evidence. All those apprehended have been charged under the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act. The case is being further investigated by Jahangirpura police.
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The rescued women, all foreign nationals, were unable to provide physical copies of their passports, instead showing digital versions saved on their phones. They claimed the original documents were stored at their residences. Police suspect most of them entered India on tourist visas and are now verifying their visa status. The Thai embassy will be notified if any immigration violations are found.
