Four Arrested in Australia Visa Scam and Human Trafficking Racket

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-4) have arrested four members of an organized human trafficking ring that used fraudulent websites and mobile applications as tools to issue fake Australian visas. The arrested individuals are Md. Tarek ul Islam (45), Md. Mainuddin Bhuiyan (48), Md. Neowaz (45), and Abu Hasan (48).

RAB stated that in the Australian visa process, authentic documents are published on the official website of the Australian High Commission. Exploiting this procedure, the fraud ring created a fake mobile application and website to falsely show victims that their visa processes had been completed. The group collected Tk 2.1 million from each victim. When the victims went to complete immigration procedures on the specified date, they discovered that all their documents were forged. Later, upon visiting the Australian High Commission in Bangladesh, they confirmed that they had been defrauded.

These details were disclosed by Lieutenant Colonel Md. Mahbub Alam, Commanding Officer of RAB-4, at a press conference held on Tuesday, 3 March, at the RAB-4 Battalion Headquarters in Paikpara, Mirpur-1, in the capital. The press conference was titled “Four Arrested Including Mastermind of Organized Gang Involved in Human Trafficking Through Fake Australian Visas and Seizure of Evidence.”

At the press briefing, Mahbub Alam said that a company named TI Trading Corporation had been engaged in human trafficking through web- and app-based fraud. The group issued fake visas and air tickets under the pretext of sending people to Europe, Australia, and Canada. Victim Md. Sharif Molla and his family members paid Tk 9.4 million before discovering that both their visas and tickets were fraudulent. When they demanded a refund, the accused allegedly threatened and intimidated them and drove them away.

Acting on confidential information, a joint team of RAB-4 conducted raids on 2 March in the Kaola Bazar area of Uttara and the Shonir Akhra area of Jatrabari in the capital, arresting the four suspects. RAB stated that the accused had long been embezzling money from many Bangladeshis by promising to send them abroad through fraudulent use of websites and mobile applications. Arrest warrants under the Negotiable Instruments Act are pending against them in various police stations.

According to RAB, the syndicate repeatedly opened offices at new locations and continued carrying out the same fraudulent scheme. By using fake apps and websites, they gained the trust of victims and extorted money. Cases have been filed against the accused, and they have been brought under the jurisdiction of the law.

The incident once again highlights that web- and app-based fraud has become one of the primary tools of human traffickers. RAB-4 stated that intelligence surveillance against such organized gangs will be further strengthened.

DBTech/MAR/EK/OR