SHANGUMUGHAM (THIRUVANANTHAPURAM): The IB team in charge of immigration at the Thiruvananthapuram airport found that many people who go to foreign countries including Israel on pilgrimage and visiting visas do not return even after the return date. It is suspected that people are being trafficked to foreign countries with the help of these visas. The IB team has handed over the information to the Kerala Police to investigate the matter, but there is an allegation that the investigation is not being carried out.

It is reported that human trafficking gangs are operating based in Thiruvananthapuram. The group that already went to Israel on a pilgrimage visa through Thiruvananthapuram airport had not returned even after the return date. The immigration authorities had handed over their information to the Valiyathura police, but there was no significant investigation.
As the documents of those going on pilgrimage and visiting visas are accurate, immigration checks cannot detect human trafficking. Doubt arises only when the visa expires and they do not return. Many such incidents have been reported.

Most of the trafficking focuses on Israel

It is reported that most of the human trafficking is under the guise of pilgrim visas to Israel. Agents charge Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh each. Many people, including people from the coastal region, have crossed the sea in this way. The Poonthura police arrested an agent who extorted seven lakh rupees from a native of Poontura by saying that he would issue a visa.