Flesh trade racket busted; foreign national among 2 rescued

Mumbai: Two women, including a foreign national, who were allegedly forced into prostitution, were rescued while a pimp was arrested from a hotel in suburban Andheri, police said on Sunday.

Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted a raid on a plush hotel near Marol Metro station on Saturday night, Deputy Commissioner of Police Shivdeep Lande said.

"Two women, in the age group of 20 to 21 years, were rescued. One of them is a foreign national while another hails from Mumbai," he said.

The police also arrested a pimp, identified as Sony alias Prabha Prabeer Mandi, a resident of Nehrunagar in Vile Parle area, he said.

She has been booked under provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.

Prior to this, the police in the last eight days arrested six people for alleged immoral trafficking and rescued 15 women, who were lured with job promises in films and TV shows, from different hotels in Mumbai, Lande said.

On December 20, the police raided a spa at Prabhadevi in Dadar area where nine women were rescued and one person was arrested, the official said.

On December 21, an online escort service racket was busted at a hotel in Colaba area of south Mumbai.

Two aspiring models and a minor girl were rescued while the hotel's manager, a waiter and a customer were arrested, the official said.

On December 24, the police busted another high profile escort service racket at a four-star hotel in Juhu area where aspiring models were allegedly pushed in flesh trade.

Three women were rescued from the hotel while two men were arrested, the police added.