They only got payments between Tk 1,500 and Tk 2,000 and for that they trapped girls, especially young and good-looking ones, promising them good jobs in India.

They then took the girls to border districts like Jhenidah, Jashore, and Satkhira, and handed them over to their gang members on the Indian side.

The girls were then forced into prostitution and sex work in the neighboring country.

Over the last three to four years, at least 30 to 40 girls were trafficked by a single gang.

Serious Crime Squad of the Criminal Investigation Department claimed to have found this after arresting Abdus Sattar, 38, a suspected gang member, at Jashore yesterday.

Nazrul Islam, special superintendent of the CID, told The Daily Star that Sattar's job was to deliver the girls to the border areas.

During primary interrogation, Sattar said he acted as per the gang's directives and that they send the girls to different borders depending on security measures there.

"We have come to know that Sattar has been working for the syndicate for the last four years."

The CID claimed to have learnt about Sattar following the arrest of suspected gang member Kaniz Fatema, 40, from Narayanganj on December 12.

Nazrul claimed that Kaniz's job was to lure girls into the trap.

"We have got some details of the syndicate's operation and we are now trying to find other members conducting drives," he added.

The officials have started investigating a case filed with Fatullah Model Police Station on March 20 last year in connection with trafficking two sisters.