Interstate sex racket: Accused contacted ‘customers’ via WhatsApps groups
Hyderabad: The two-month-long joint operation found that the prostitution ring was operating out of more than 20 hotels in the city, as well as numerous rooms run by a chain.
According to Cyberabad Commissioner Stephen Raveendra, during the interrogation and confession of the accused, a number of main organisers from different states formed different subject-wise WhatsApp groups, namely organisers, suppliers, advertisement makers, website and call centre people.
A large number of victims were dragged into the sex racket by luring them with luxurious lifestyle, easy money, and, in some cases, the promise of employment.
“In most of the cases, prostitution is organised from websites and their platform for regular communication is WhatsApp," said the commissioner.
According to the commissioner, the “victim supplier” will first post her photos in the organisers' WhatsApp groups, who will then select profiles and book hotels and flight tickets for the victims.
Following that, victims will arrive and stay in hotels, and the organisers will post their pictures on WhatsApp groups and websites, which will be selected by customers.
"The customer's information is taken, and they are directed to the hotel. They pay in cash or through UPI options. In this format, the organiser will pay 30 per cent to the victim, 35 per cent to the advertisement gang and call centre personnel, and 35 per cent to the organisers. If the organiser only does business on WhatsApp and no other websites, he only has to pay 30 per cent to the victim and the remaining 70 per cent to the organisers," said the official.
