Flesh trade racket: Woman from Nagaland among 35 held in Noida

Noida (UP), July 1 (PTI): Thirty-five persons, including eight Thai woman, were arrested by Noida police on late Sunday night following simultaneous raids on 14 spas, allegedly doubling as flesh trade hubs, said officials.

The persons arrested in simultaneous raids on spa centres in Noida’s sector 18 under “Operation Clean” included 10 men and 25 women, police said Monday.

Eight of the women arrested are from Thailand, while five are from Delhi, four from Uttar Pradesh, three from Manipur and one each from Rajasthan, Nagaland, Mizoram and West Bengal, said a senior police official.

There is one other woman also, he added.

The raids were carried out by 14 police teams comprising senior officials at as many spas on a tip off that spa centres were being used as flesh trade hubs involving Indians and foreigners, he said.

Three of the spas were found involved in the sex trade during police searches, while remaining 11 were found committing serious irregularities in their operations and objectionable articles were seized from there, Gautam Buddh Nagar (Rural) Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal said.

The 10 arrested men include both clients as well as spa officials like managers and supervisors, said Greater Noida (3rd) Circle Officer Rajeev Kumar, who is investigating the case.

All 35 accused including the Thai women are being produced in a court today for further action, he told PTI.

A case under various sections of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 has been registered against the accused persons, said Kumar.

The police also seized around INR one lakh in cash, beer cans, used and unused condoms along with other objectionable articles during raids on spa centres, several of them are located inside shopping malls, the police said.

After raids, all spa centres have been sealed by the district administration.