ED Cracks Down on Bangladeshi Infiltration: Arrests and Raids Uncover Human Trafficking Network

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested two Bangladeshi nationals and an Indian in Kolkata for facilitating illegal infiltration and human trafficking. The arrests follow raids linked to a money laundering case. Investigations continue into the network, which uses fake documents to enable illegal entry from Bangladesh.

In a significant crackdown, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has apprehended two Bangladeshi nationals and one Indian in Kolkata, accused of facilitating illegal infiltration and human trafficking across the India-Bangladesh border. Arrested individuals include Bangladeshi nationals Rony Mondal and Sameer Chowdhary, along with Indian national Pintu Haldar.

The arrests come on the heels of coordinated raids across 17 locations in Jharkhand and West Bengal. These operations are part of a broader investigation into a money laundering case tied to Bangladeshi infiltration, initially reported based on a First Information Report (FIR) filed in June. The case highlights violations under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Passports Act, and Foreigners Act.

The FIR narrates how 21-year-old Nipah Akhtar Khushi from Bangladesh was smuggled into Kolkata with an elaborate network involving local agents and fake documents. The ED has termed these acts as criminal activities under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, underscoring the urgency for a thorough investigation into the syndicate.

(With inputs from agencies.)