Pan:

Three women were booked by the Goa Police on Monday for allegedly offering massage services at Candolim Beach, without obtaining permission from the competent authority, an official said.

Police said that as per the formalities all three accused persons were produced before the Deputy Director of Tourism at Panaji, Goa, along with the report for committing offence under Section 3 of the Goa Tourist Places Protection and Maintenance Act 2001, who failed to pay the penalty of Rs 25,000 (to be paid by each accused persons) and hence the offence was registered against them.

“The order was passed by the Deputy Director of Tourism imposing a penalty of Rs 25,000 to be paid by each accused person, but the same was not paid by them,” police added.

Later, Kuldeep Arolkar, Deputy Director of Tourism, complained about the incident and the action was taken by Calangute police.

“These accused persons were found moving at Candolim Beach and approaching tourists on the beach and offering massage services without any permission from the competent authority, thereby, contravening several sections,” police said.

Sources informed that a video of the massage taking place on the Candolim beach had gone viral, which forced police to take action.

After receiving complaints from locals, the Goa government had earlier warned touts and those involved in illegal massage activities on beaches.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Panaji:

 Two women from Israel and Kenya were arrested on Friday for alleged involvement in an international sex racket, a Goa police official said.

Maria Dorcas from Israel and Wilkista Achista from Kenya were held in an operation carried out by Anjuna police, Deputy Superintendent of Police Jivba Dalvi said.

“The racket was being operated between Kenya and India. Five women were recused in the police operation carried out with the help of NGO ARZ. Women from Kenya were promised jobs in the hospitality sector here by agents working on behalf of traffickers,” he said.

“After these women reached India, their passports, visas were taken away by the agents and they were pushed into prostitution under the threat of violence. The racket operated online by using escort service websites to solicit clients,” Mr Dalvi said.

The racket came to light after NGO ARZ found out about some victims who were taken to Bengaluru, he said, adding that Goa police promptly acted on the information and carried out a raid.

The rescued women have been lodged in a protective home at Merces, he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)