Two held on charge of human trafficking

Young women were reportedly lured with promises of job placements.

Two persons believed to be key links in a racket involved in trafficking women on fake passports to Gulf nations surrendered at the office of P.M. Varghese, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ernakulam Crime Branch (Organised Crime), and were arrested on Saturday.

Sethulal and Shaji of Mukundapuram, Thrissur, were allegedly operating from the State and the Gulf and were absconding since the investigation started.

From poor families

Police sources said that the group used to lure young women from financially-backward families with promises of job placements and were engaging them in sex trade.

The modus operandi of the group was to take the women to Gulf cities like Muscat and smuggle them across to other countries in the boot of cars.

The accused surrendered before the investigating team on Friday and were produced before the Aluva Judicial First Class Magistrate-II on Saturday.