Five modules engaged in human trafficking were busted and 44 operatives arrested as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out nationwide raids on Wednesday, an official said.

The raids were conducted in coordination with the Border Security Force and state police forces at 55 locations in eight states and two union territories to dismantle human trafficking support networks involved in the infiltration and settlement of illegal migrants across the Indo-Bangladesh border, a spokesperson of the NIA said.

The official said the searches were carried out in Tripura, Assam, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Haryana, Rajasthan and the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry, dealing a big blow to the human trafficking networks.(CNI)