Broker arrested for selling youth to Kenyan mafia under pretense of sending him to Italy: RAB

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-10) has arrested a human trafficker, identified as Tota Mal, 62, on charges of selling a youth to a Kenyan mafia network under the false promise of sending him legally to Italy.

According to RAB, the victim's family was swindled out of 1.6 million BDT for a promised trip to Italy. Instead, the youth was trafficked through Sri Lanka and India to Kenya. Trapped abroad, his family was forced to pay an additional ransom of 300,000 BDT out of a demanded 500,000 BDT, yet the young man has still been unable to return home.

RAB-10 conducted a drive in the Mirhajirbagh area of the capital on Thursday evening to arrest Tota Mal, who hails from the Bajeharchar area of Shibchar Upazila in Madaripur district. He is a named accused in the case filed over the incident.

Detailing the incident, RAB stated that on November 28, 2024, a broker network including Tota Mal collected 1.6 million BDT from the family of Md. Tamim, a resident of Uttrail area in Shibchar, promising to send him legally to Italy that very day. Instead of Italy, Tamim was taken to Sri Lanka, held captive for a period, and subsequently smuggled into India. From India, he was trafficked to Kenya and sold to a local mafia syndicate.

Once in Kenya, the captors demanded an additional 500,000 BDT from Tamim's family for his release. Out of desperation, the family sent 300,000 BDT, but Tamim was not sent back.

On March 15, Tamim’s mother filed a case under the Human Trafficking Deterrence and Suppression Act at Shibchar Police Station. Following a request from the investigating officer, RAB-10 initiated intelligence surveillance to apprehend the perpetrators.

Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Tapan Sarkar from the RAB-10 Media Wing stated that Tota Mal was arrested with the aid of information technology and subsequently handed over to Shibchar Police Station for further legal proceedings. RAB reiterated its strict "zero tolerance" policy against human trafficking, affirming that operations against such criminal networks will continue.