Ernakulam rural police arrested a 45-year-old man on Monday on charges of visa fraud. The accused, identified as U Vijay of Keezhmad, Aluva, was taken into custody from a rented house in Palappuram, Ottapalam, by a team led by Muvattupuzha police inspector Anil George.
Fraud Modus Operandi
Vijay allegedly defrauded a young woman from Valakom near Muvattupuzha by promising a visa for a job at a company in Hungary. With similar cases and complaints pending at various police stations across the state, he had been in hiding. The investigation team included SI T A Muhammed, ASIs P S Salim, V M Jamal, and senior civil police officer Haris H. The accused was presented in court and remanded in judicial custody.
Shift in Fraud Patterns
Sources indicate that visa fraudsters in the district are now offering blue-collar jobs in countries ranging from Sweden to South Korea. Aspirants have been duped with offers for roles such as supermarket employees, warehouse workers, helpers, and packing staff. This marks a notable shift from earlier recruitment frauds in the nursing sector. Currently, almost none of the cases involve healthcare jobs, according to police. Experts have called for an accreditation system similar to other sectors, requiring consultancies to apply for approval. Meanwhile, police advised job seekers to pursue overseas employment only through legally registered agencies.
Drug Peddling Rackets Under Probe
City police have launched a detailed investigation into the rackets behind three major drug busts in the past week. On May 11, Ernakulam rural police arrested three individuals with approximately 600 grams of heroin worth nearly Rs 1 crore, smuggled by car from Assam. It is one of the largest heroin seizures in the district in recent times. Police said they obtained crucial leads on the customers and the source of the drug trade.
Meanwhile, the excise department arrested two men with synthetic drugs in Kalamassery late on Saturday and began investigating the source of the contraband. Sleuths seized 21.055 grams of MDMA from North Kalamassery. On Friday, a multi-agency inspection in Kochi led to the arrest of a 43-year-old man with 33.15 grams of MDMA. City police are investigating to identify the man's customers.
