Navi Mumbai Police dismantled a prostitution racket, arresting three individuals and rescuing five females, including minors, officials reported Friday. The syndicate operated online, soliciting clients via websites and WhatsApp, directing them to book lodges in Nerul, Vashi, and Turbhe. The accused charged Rs 4,000 per hour, sending women and girls to these locations.

On July 8, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) used a decoy customer to trap the operators at a Turbhe hotel, rescuing one woman. Further investigation led to the rescue of four more females from a Nerul flat. The arrested include the racket’s mastermind, a middleman, and an autorickshaw driver who transported victims.

The suspects, identified as Rajesh Kumar Yadav, Mukesh Rai, and Dinesh Dangi, are in custody until July 14, while three others—Shambhu Upadhyay, Maqbool Ansari, and Dhiru—remain at large. The rescued women, aged 25-35 from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal, are now at Navjeevan shelter home in Chembur for rehabilitation. The operation followed intelligence that a mobile number linked to escort websites facilitated the racket.

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