ED raids 8 locations in WB over trafficking racket in bar-restaurants

The Enforcement Directorate raided eight locations in Kolkata and Siliguri, West Bengal, targeting an organised trafficking and prostitution racket run through bars. The probe is based on police FIRs and involves money laundering of crores in illicit funds.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted searches at eight premises in West Bengal's Kolkata and Siliguri in the case of an organised trafficking and prostitution racket being operated primarily through bar-cum-restaurants.

ED's Kolkata zonal office launched the search operation on Friday morning, including areas in Bidhannagar, Kolkata, and Siliguri. The premises covered in the operation included the premises of the accused and suspects.

Details of the Trafficking Racket

The case stems from an organised trafficking and prostitution racket operated by the accused and suspected persons primarily through bar-cum-restaurants owned or controlled by them.

The ED case is based on various First Information Reports (FIRs) and charge sheets filed by the West Bengal Police against various accused persons, mainly Jagjit Singh, Ajmal Siddiqui, Bishnu Mundra, and others. Officials close to the development told ANI.

The FIRs are registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Arms Act, and Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, which constitute scheduled offences under PMLA, 2002.

Exploitation and Money Laundering

Officials said the accused persons "exploit vulnerable women under false employment promises and coerce them into prostitution for generating substantial proceeds of crime."

"These illicit funds, acquired in cash (amounting to several crores), are being laundered through multiple companies under their control," added the officials.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)