PATTAYA police arrested two Indian men who had lured their countrywomen to work at a restaurant but upon arrival threatened and blackmailed them into prostitution, TV Channel 7 said today (Feb. 28).
This case stemmed from a complaint filed by three Indian women on Feb. 18 that the suspects had contacted them via Instagram offering a good salary to work at a restaurant in Pattaya with all travel expenses covered.
However upon arrival they were charged a fee, had their passports confiscated, their contact information deleted and were confined to a hotel room, forbidden from contacting anyone outside.
They were then forced to work as prostitutes on Pattaya beach and if they refused they were starved and threatened that sexually-suggestive photos of them would be sent to their families and their loved ones would be harmed if they tried to escape.
Later, one of the victims seized an opportunity to request permission to use her passport as this was needed to open a hotel room with a client. She then escaped and sought help from an Indian restaurant in the area, with the owner helping her file a police complaint.
Investigators coordinated with the Chonburi Provincial Social Development and Human Security Office and it was determined that this is a case of human trafficking with the victims then taken into legal protection.
After gathering evidence, police identified the two suspects as Mr. Brahmananda, 25, and Mr. Justin, 32, both Indian nationals. They were apprehended at a hotel room in Pattaya, with three mobile phones, a tablet and a laptop computer seized.
The suspects were then charged with human trafficking, unlawful detention, coercion, intimidation, destruction or theft of another person’s documents, procuring for prostitution, and offenses related to importing false information into the computer system.
Initially, both suspects denied all charges, claiming they were merely customers using the three women’s services.
However, police said that there is clear evidence linking them to the crime, and they will proceed with legal action to the fullest extent.
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Top and Front Page – The two Indian men arrested on charges of forcing their countrywomen into prostitution in Pattaya. Photo – TV Channel 7
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