In a significant crackdown on human trafficking, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh has arrested seven members of an organized syndicate accused of fraudulently sending migrants to Italy using genuine passport holders' visas and travel documents. The suspects were apprehended during a raid in Dhaka's Gulshan-1 area on Monday by the CID's Human Trafficking Branch (THB), according to a CID press release issued today.
During the raid, police seized 56 passports, 153 forged seals bearing the names of government, private, and foreign institutions, an embossing seal, three CPUs, a laptop, and Tk 250,000 in cash. The CID stated that the syndicate lured aspiring migrants with promises of Italian visas, collected large sums of money, and illegally retained their passports.
In one instance, a woman paid Tk 440,000 for an Italian visa, only to discover at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport that another unidentified woman had already traveled to Italy on April 24 using her visa and passport details. Investigators revealed that the group used forged documents to replace legitimate visa holders with other individuals, facilitating illegal migration while defrauding victims.
Preliminary findings indicate that the alleged ringleader, Belayet Hossain, has been involved in similar operations since 2016 and is suspected of sending around 30 people to Italy through fraudulent means. He is also on bail in a similar case filed in 2024. A case has been filed under the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Prevention and Suppression Act, 2026, along with several sections of the Penal Code.
The CID said forensic examinations and financial investigations are underway to identify additional members, local and foreign collaborators, and other victims. The bust highlights the ongoing challenges in combating human trafficking and the need for stringent measures to protect vulnerable migrants.
