Sixty-five women were rescued from Hyderabad after an international sex trafficking racket operating under the guise of spas, came to light with the police arresting 20 persons, as per a Times of India report.
The 65 women were employed as masseuses but forced to indulge in prostitution, the report says.
There were 34 Thai nationals among the women rescued.
Madhapur police raided 12 locations, including Sapta Spa, Tantra Spa, V Spa, Mandara Spa, Moh Spa, Aura Spa in Gachibowli, Aura Spa, Sapta Spa, Tantra Spa, Blizz Spa, Moh Spa and New Revive Spa in Madhapur, based on a tip-off.
Following statements from the victims’, police arrested 20 organisers, including kingpin Dasari Siddhartha, 32, who was operating three of the 12 spas, the report adds.
Siddhartha was also supplying women to several other spas in the city through the other accused.
“Siddhartha had been procuring women from Thailand, North Eastern states and from the city. He provides accommodation to the women at a flat on Road Number 12, Banjara Hills. By paying them paltry amounts, he would force them to indulge in prostitution at the spas,“ DCP Madhapur, Vishwa Prasad told ToI.
The evidence seized from the spas include semen-stained inner wear, tissue papers, used and unused condoms.
“Once the women reach Hyderabad, Siddhartha takes possession of their passports and engages them in his spas for prostitution. Sarfaraz Ali, Vinay , Ajay and others were assisting Siddhartha in these illegal activities. Siddhartha along with absconding accused Venkata Reddy and Balasubramanyam run a chain of spas in Madhapur, Jubilee Hills and Bengaluru. He earns about `90 lakh per month from this business,“ the DCP added.