Bihar Police have dismantled an alleged international human trafficking network operating across Kishanganj and the wider Seemanchal region, arresting the alleged kingpin Haji Nahid Ghani and his associate Md. Tabrez in Patna on 17 October 2026. Unemployed youths were reportedly lured with promises of overseas jobs and smuggled abroad through the illegal 'donkey route' — a network of irregular migration channels linked to human smuggling. A Pakistani agent based in Malaysia is now under scanner for allegedly confining victims and forcing them into bonded labour.

How the Racket Operated

The arrests were carried out by a special police team, backed by the Special Task Force (STF), acting on the instructions of Kishanganj Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar. According to investigators, the accused allegedly used front firms — Haji Nahid Ghani Private Limited and Taiba International Tour and Travels — to attract victims and collect large sums of money under the guise of legitimate foreign employment placement.

Victims were reportedly promised jobs in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia. Instead, some were transported illegally to Thailand and Malaysia via the donkey route, according to police. This is the clandestine chain of transit points and border crossings commonly associated with irregular migration and trafficking operations across South and Southeast Asia.

The Complaint That Cracked the Case

The investigation was triggered by a complaint filed by Md. Suleman at Bishanpur police station in Kishanganj. Suleman alleged that the accused took ₹1.80 lakh from him with a promise of securing employment abroad for his son, Noorzafar.

'The accused took ₹1.80 lakh and sent my son, Noorzafar, first to Krabi, Thailand, and then smuggled him into Malaysia via the illegal route,' Suleman alleged. He further claimed that his son was confined with other youths before being forced to work in Johor, Malaysia.

Pakistani Agent's Role

Kishanganj SDPO-I Khusru Siraj confirmed the alleged involvement of a Pakistani agent based in Malaysia. 'This gang would extract large sums of money from young people and send them illegally to Malaysia and Thailand via the donkey route,' Siraj said, adding that the Pakistani agent based in Malaysia played a key role in the operation.

The agent is accused of confining victims in a room with several other young men and subsequently forcing them to work at a company in Johor under exploitative conditions, according to police. Investigators are now working to establish the full extent of his network and any other overseas associates.

Vulnerability of Seemanchal Youth

The case has brought renewed attention to the vulnerability of unemployed youths from Kishanganj and surrounding districts in the Seemanchal belt — a predominantly rural and economically underdeveloped area straddling the India-Bangladesh border. The region's high unemployment rate and aspirations for overseas work reportedly make its youth susceptible to fraudulent foreign employment offers.

This is not the first such trafficking case to emerge from the Seemanchal region, which has long been flagged by rights groups and law enforcement as a hotspot for irregular migration and labour exploitation. The use of seemingly legitimate travel and recruitment firms as cover adds a layer of institutional credibility that makes detection harder.

What Investigators Are Probing Next

Police are currently examining the recruitment methods used by the accused, the financial flows through the two firms, and the identities of other suspected associates both within India and overseas. The extent of the network — including how many victims may have been trafficked — is still being ascertained. Authorities have indicated that further arrests cannot be ruled out as the probe widens.