Mohamed Ibrahim, who had been on the run and was facing multiple non-bailable warrants, was apprehended in Chennai on Friday. Ibrahim played a pivotal role in trafficking Sri Lankan nationals, facilitating their illegal entry into India through Tamil Nadu’s coastal region. He was responsible for coordinating the movement of two batches of trafficked individuals from Mandapam in Ramanathapuram district to the Thoothukudi coastline. The trafficking network operated through a well-organised system. Victims were picked up from mid-sea and transferred onto small boats before being smuggled to the Indian mainland. They were then moved to holding areas before further transportation. Efforts are underway to trace and apprehend the remaining suspects. The case was initially registered by the Karnataka Police following raids at guest houses in Mangalore, where Sri Lankans without valid travel documents were discovered based on credible intelligence. The NIA took over the probe and uncovered an extensive human trafficking racket with international links. The charges against him and others include criminal conspiracy (Section 120B IPC), human trafficking (Section 370 IPC, and cheating (Section 420 IPC) and offenses under the Foreigners Act and the Passport Act.
