Uncovering Illegal Immigration: Navi Mumbai Police’s Vigilance
In a recent revelation, the Navi Mumbai police uncovered a significant number of foreign nationals residing illegally in their jurisdiction. A total of 506 individuals were discovered, with 411 among them being Nigerians. The revelation came as a result of raids and searches conducted by the police as part of their efforts to curb drug-related activities in the area, as reported by PTI.
Navi Mumbai police chief Milind Bharambe stated that these individuals were either in India without proper documentation or had overstayed their visas. A notable portion of the 411 Nigerians were found to be involved in drug-related crimes, adding complexity to the situation.
As part of their decisive actions, the police have filed charges against landlords who provided shelter to these “illegal foreigners.” A total of 483 foreigners, identified as residing illegally in Navi Mumbai, have received notices to leave the country.
In a separate incident nearly a month ago, Crime Branch Unit 6 carried out an early morning operation, arresting five individuals accused of being illegal immigration agents facilitating the entry of Bangladeshi immigrants. The operation, initiated in Thane, followed the arrest of Abu Shahid Abdul Hamid Alimia, identified as a member of the same module.
The operation, based on information from anonymous informants, revealed that the arrested individuals possessed fraudulent Aadhar cards. An ongoing inquiry aims to determine the origin of these counterfeit credentials.
The arrested individuals, Masud Harun Sheikh, Bilal Harun Sheikh, Rafiq Abid Ali Sheikh alias Abdul Qadri Mandal, Raman Siqandar Sheikh, and Suman Momin Sheikh, all hailing from Bangladesh’s Jessore area, are illegal immigrants living in the Shantinagar Slums in Kalwa, Thane.
DCP Raj Tilak Roushan from Detection 1 confirmed that nine people have been arrested in connection with this module. Charges include unlawful immigration, acting as agents, and providing payments to traffickers in Bangladesh for facilitating cross-border immigration operations.
The investigation is expanding to encompass the possession of fake documents. Authorities are probing whether the arrested individuals were involved in manufacturing counterfeit documents or solely acted as agents in illegal border crossings. Contacts between the accused individuals and Bangladesh have been discovered, involving the illegal transportation of cash from India. The situation underscores the challenges posed by illegal immigration and the multi-faceted efforts required to address such issues effectively.
