KATHMANDU, Sept 9: Police have arrested a man from Rukum, Nepal, who is currently living in the USA, on charges of trafficking Nepali people to various foreign countries.

Hasta Gautam, 52, currently residing in Texas, collected over Rs 20 million from his clients under the guise of sending them to various countries for employment, according to the Human Trafficking Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police. Gautam is the mastermind behind the trafficking operation and has thus far trafficked approximately 200 Nepali individuals to the US.

The police revealed that he employed agents in various countries for this purpose, deploying five agents in locations including Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Colombia, and Latin America. The Bureau initiated investigations after registering five cases against three of the agents.

The police have successfully rescued four individuals who were victimized by Gautam, while two others are still awaiting rescue, stated Deputy Superintendent of Police Gyan Bahadur Bista. He mentioned, "Complaints have been filed against him, alleging that 13 people were left stranded under the pretext of sending them abroad for employment."

Gautam's agents confiscated passports and mobile phones from their clients upon arrival in various countries, demanding a significant amount of money from them, Bista added. The agents used to subject them to torture and would sell or abandon them if they refused to comply with their demands.

With a seven-day custody remand granted by the court, the police have been conducting further investigations into the matter, Bista shared. (RSS)

 
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