UP ATS arrests two of international trafficking racket from West Bengal
The syndicate was involved in facilitating infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingya illegally and helping them settle in different parts of the country
The UP Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) arrested two key-accused of an international human trafficking syndicate on Tuesday, involved in facilitating infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingya illegally from North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, said senior ATS officials here in Lucknow.
The officials said that the two accused are being brought to Lucknow after procuring their transit remand from a local court to further interrogate the duo and explore their widespread nexus in the country.
In a press note shared with media, a senior ATS official confirmed that the two accused identified as Abdullah Gazi (50) and Vikram Rai (23) are both residents of North 24 Parganas. He said Gazi operates two firms named Gazi Food Supply and Gazi
Masonry and used its accounts to help the kingpin of the racket, Abu Saleh, the director Kabir Bagh Millat Academy and Haroa-al Jamiatul Islamia Darul Uloom Madrasa, to receive funds from abroad for illegal infiltration and help illegal immigrants settle in different parts of the country.
“In the FCRA accounts of these trusts, an enormous sum of funding totaling around ₹58 crore was received from outside (Umma Welfare Trust, UK) between 2018 and 2022,” said the official stated in the release and added, “so far, as many as 11 people including the kingpin of the racket, Abu Saleh, have been arrested since October 11, 2023.
The official explained that a large part of the foreign funds received was in the form of cash by making fake billing from his team members. “Apart from this, billing has also been done by creating fake firms named Ghazi Foods Supply and Ghazi Masonries.
Besides, some money was also received in the form of cash through Hawala. The cash received was used for illegally infiltrating Rohingya and Bangladeshis into India through their syndicate, and providing financial assistance to Rohingya and Bangladeshis living illegally in India, making fake Indian documents and sending that money back to India through Hawala,” he added.
He said the lid of the racket was blown away after the arrest of the three accused, Adil-ur-Rehman Ashrafi, Abu Huraira Gazi, Sheikh Najibul Haq, all residents of West Bengal, by UP ATS on October 11, 2023. He said the kingpin Abu Saleh, a resident of West
Bengal, who was arrested on January 8 earlier this year, received foreign funding of ₹58 crore in the name of an NGO and misusing it to help illegal infiltration and carrying out anti-national activities. He was arrested in Manak Nagar area of Lucknow with the help of information received through technical surveillance and ground inputs.
According to the UP ATS, they had been receiving intelligence about a syndicate that had been formed by some persons, who hide their identity and get illegal infiltrators settled in India on fake Indian documents and by giving them financial support, and promote anti-national activities. “On the basis of it, cases under several IPC sections, Section 14 of Foreigners Act 1946 and Section 12(1), 12(2) Passport Act 1967 were registered,” the press note added.