Police bust suspected sex, recruitment racket

Manama : Police have busted a suspected prostitution and illegal manpower recruitment racket run by two Bangladeshi men following a series of raids in flats in the capital region. 

“The members of the racket lured several housemaids and labourers promising better pay. They ‘sold’ them to other ‘owners’ for BD200 to BD300, depending on their capabilities and their willingness to work,” Capital Governorate Police Directorate Research and Investigation Division Head Major Mohammed Khalid Al Buainain said. 

“A significant part of their earnings was taken by the Bangladeshi men while the rest was allowed to be retained by the worker,” he said.

“We found these flats were occupied by women of several different nationalities, many of them from Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India. They claimed they were housemaids who had run away from their sponsors for better pay. They also claimed they were contracted by their ‘owners’ - two Bangladeshi men - who ran an illegal cleaning business,” Al Buainain said. 

A report appeared in Al Amn, an Interior Ministry publication, stated that the woman may have been used for prostitution. 

 “Many of these women have Facebook and other social media accounts through which they communicate with prospective clients. They negotiate salaries, other terms and conditions and working and living facilities through these social media platforms,” Major Al Buainain said.

 “Rogue agents on the prowl entice women with lucrative offers like a month’s salary in a week. Many then leave their places of work and become what we call runaways,” Major Al Buainain said.

While women are mainly the victims of this racket, men were also found to have been victimised. The men were asked to work as labourers, house help and do sundry jobs.  

“These men are hired out to companies, individuals and households on a daily, weekly or monthly basis,” Major Al Buainain said. He added that further investigations are going on.