Four Indian-Americans Charged in Texas Human Trafficking Bust, Number of Victims Could be 50

In a troubling case out of Texas, four Indian-Americans, including a woman, face charges for allegedly operating a human labor trafficking ring. The charges follow an investigation by the Princeton Police Department, which uncovered 15 women living under dire conditions in a home in Princeton, as reported by Fox4News.com.

The accused—Chandan Dasireddy, 24; Dwaraka Gunda, 31; Santhosh Katkoori, 31; and Anil Male, 37—were arrested in March and charged with trafficking of persons, a serious second-degree felony. Authorities anticipate further arrests as the investigation continues.

The discovery came when officers responded to a call on March 13 about a welfare concern at a residence on Ginsburg Lane in Collin County. Upon arrival, they found the young women forced to sleep on the floor in a sparsely furnished house. “There was basically no furniture inside the home at the center of human trafficking, just a bunch of computer electronics and blankets,” police reported.

Further investigation revealed that these women were coerced into working for Katkoori and his wife, Dwaraka Gunda, across multiple programming shell companies. The McKinney Courier-Gazette detailed that officers executed a search warrant at Katkoori’s home, uncovering laptops, cell phones, printers, and fraudulent documents. These items were seized as evidence of the trafficking operation.

As the search broadened, additional locations in Princeton, Melissa, and McKinney were identified as sites where forced labor occurred, involving both female and male victims. More electronic devices and documents were confiscated from these locations, shedding light on the extent of the trafficking network.

The initial tip-off came from a pest control company called in for a suspected bed bug issue. The inspector noticed an unusual scene: three to five young women sleeping on the floor of each room, alongside numerous suitcases. The inspector’s concerns led to a call to the police, which set the investigation in motion, Fox4News.com reported.

Princeton Police Sgt. Carolyn Crawford shared that over 100 individuals are believed to be involved in the operation, with more than half being victims. However, she refrained from disclosing specifics about the nature of the labor the victims were subjected to.

This case highlights the severe and often hidden issue of human trafficking within communities. The Princeton Police Department, along with other authorities, continues to investigate and unravel the full scope of this operation, aiming to bring justice to the victims and hold those responsible accountable.