Flesh trade brokers held for posing as police personnel

The anti-vice squad officials received information about a few unidentified persons, who threatened and extorted money from lodge owners in Triplicane, and inquired the lodge and mansion owners. They came to know that a few lodge owners transferred Rs 60,000 to a bank account recently.

One of the lodge owners also gave an audio clip of a suspect chatting and negotiating with them. The man claimed that he would pass on information about the raids by anti-vice squads to the lodge owners.

Even when the lodge or mansion owners refused to pay the bribe, they threatened to foist cases against them for running flesh trade at their facility.

Feared being targeted, they shelled out cash as bribe to them.

Police personnel laid a trap and apprehended them on Wednesday. The arrested persons were identified as G Vinod (32) of Tiruvottiyur and S Naresh (23) of Triplicane.

Police recovered Rs 10,000 in cash from them and during questioning, they confessed to have threatened some lodge and mansion owners to extract money.

Further investigation revealed that Vinod and Naresh had also been running prostitution racket. Police personnel raided at their place in Koyambedu and rescued two girls, who were forced into the flesh trade by the duo.

The anti-vice squad police personnel registered a case and remanded them in prison on Wednesday. Further investigation is on to find out if more people are involved in similar crimes.