Operations of flesh traders and brothel houses appear to have found a safe haven in the government-run resorts.
In the last six months, the City Task Force (CTF) busted two rackets and arrested four organisers and rescued three victims in both cases together. In the first case, it was being run from a room in the Harita Resort at Rushikonda and on Sunday a racket was busted at the Harita Resort opposite Appu Ghar.
According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (CTF) I. Chittibabu, the modus operandi in both cases was similar. A couple checks in as a husband and wife introducing themselves as tourists and run the show for a short period of about seven to 10 days clandestinely or they book a room online and keep a victim there and take customers there.
On how do they contact the clients, the CTF officials said the organisers have a network with other organisers in the city and the deals are set through cell phones.
“They believe that the government-run resorts are safe places and are outside the purview of raids,” said a CTF official.
Apart from cell networking, it is learnt that the organisers also take the help of the staff of the resorts, especially the lower-rung room service staff. “They identify a couple of staff who could be trusted to spread the message among the guests,” said Inspector Illyas Mohammed of CTF.
Visakhapatnam has been developing as a tourist hub and there is a huge flow of tourists from West Bengal, Odisha and Chhattisgarh and many prefer to stay in the government-run resorts.
Earlier, the CTF had rescued a few young girls from West Bengal who were pushed into trade and they had confessed that the organisers find Visakhapatnam as a potential and safe place.
There has been a rise in the flesh trade cases in the city.
A couple checks in a resort introducing themselves as a husband and wife and do the business clandestinely for a short period
I. Chittibabu
Assistant Commissioner of Police (CTF)
In the last six months, the City Task Force busted two rackets and arrested four organisers