In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) apprehended four individuals accused of complicity in human trafficking activities along the India-Bangladesh border. The arrests, carried out in Tripura, mark a pivotal stride in an ongoing case registered by the NIA in Guwahati back in October.
The detained individuals, set to be transferred to Guwahati after obtaining court orders in Agartala, will subsequently face proceedings at the NIA Special Court in Guwahati. This operation unfolds as the second phase of a nationwide crackdown initiated on November 8, which previously led to the apprehension of 29 key operatives affiliated with human trafficking syndicates.
NIA Arrests 4 more Accused in Indo-B’Desh Border Human Trafficking Case from Tripura pic.twitter.com/14IAqWUMNT
— NIA India (@NIA_India) December 29, 2023
According to an NIA spokesperson, the arrested individuals, located in proximity to the India-Bangladesh border, are intricately linked to the previously detained 29 suspects. Acting on behalf of well-organized syndicates operating across various districts of Tripura, they were actively engaged in human trafficking endeavors.
In a statement, the NIA affirmed, “Investigations further revealed that these four were coordinating with traffickers operating from across the international border to facilitate illegal infiltration of persons of Bangladeshi origin into India.”
The case, initiated on October 6, originated from intelligence indicating the illegal trafficking of foreign nationals with the intention of settling them in different parts of India. Additionally, the arrested individuals were found to have forged Indian identity documents, further intensifying the gravity of their involvement in the illicit trafficking network.