In a significant crackdown on an alleged overseas employment scam, the Mumbai Crime Branch conducted simultaneous raids at nine travel agencies in the Nagpada area on Thursday, December 4, 2025. The operation led to the dramatic seizure of 238 Indian passports and the arrest of two agency owners, exposing a racket that preyed on citizens seeking jobs abroad.
The Raid and Major Seizures
The joint operation, carried out by teams from the Crime Branch and the Protector of Emigrants (POE) office, was based on a formal complaint. Officials revealed that the POE office in Bandra, acting on behalf of the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi, had flagged the illegal activities of several tour and travel operators in Nagpada.
During the raids, police teams confiscated a vast trove of documents and materials from the offices. Apart from the 238 passports, authorities recovered fabricated 'offer letters' for employment, logbooks, numerous application forms, visiting cards, and unauthorized rubber stamps. These items were allegedly used to create a facade of legitimacy for the fraudulent operation.
How the Fraud Was Operated
Investigators stated that the accused travel agents were operating without the mandatory government license from the Ministry of External Affairs, which is legally required to send Indian citizens abroad for employment. Despite lacking this essential authorization, they actively solicited clients, promising them lucrative job opportunities in foreign countries.
The modus operandi involved taking substantial sums of money from aspiring job seekers under the false pretence of securing them employment and processing their visas. The complaint indicated that these agents had been systematically defrauding Indian citizens by exploiting their dreams of building a career overseas.
Legal Action and Ongoing Probe
Following the raids, a formal case has been registered at the Nagpada Police Station. The charges have been framed under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Immigration Act, 1983. Specifically, sections 318(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Sections 10 and 24 of the Immigration Act, have been invoked.
While two owners of the travel agencies have been taken into custody, seven other individuals have been named as wanted accused in the First Information Report (FIR). The Mumbai Crime Branch has been entrusted with the responsibility of conducting a deeper investigation into the network to uncover its full extent and identify all victims.
This crackdown highlights the persistent issue of illegal immigration and job fraud rackets in certain pockets of the city and serves as a stern warning to unlicensed operators. Authorities have urged the public to verify the credentials of any agent through the official MEA portal before engaging their services for overseas employment.
