Indian authorities have launched deportation proceedings against several Kenyan women who were found residing illegally in the city of Powai, Mumbai. The women were arrested during a surprise raid at a hotel in Marol, Andheri (East), after police received intelligence about foreign nationals overstaying their visas.
According to local media reports, a total of 15 women from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania were discovered during the raid. Out of these, nine were Kenyan nationals who had entered India on tourist visas a few months ago but failed to renew them. The Powai police also arrested the hotel manager for failing to report the presence of foreign tenants who had been staying at the establishment for two weeks.
How Police Traced Them
Officials from the Anti-Terrorist Cell (ATC) of the Powai police station confirmed that they acted on a tip-off about the women frequently shifting hotels to conceal their activities. A team conducted a surprise check and discovered that their visas had expired.
Alleged Motives
Authorities suspect that the women had travelled to India to engage in commercial sex work, though investigations are still ongoing. Police stated that the women changed hotels every month or fortnight to avoid detection.
Growing Concerns
This incident comes amid rising cases of Kenyan women facing legal issues in India. In May, Indian customs officials arrested a Kenyan woman attempting to smuggle liquid cocaine through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. The woman, who arrived from Addis Ababa, was caught with 1.57 litres of cocaine hidden inside bottles of body lotion. The drugs were valued at around ₹15.71 crore (about Ksh238 million).
Indian authorities have since heightened surveillance of foreign nationals overstaying visas or engaging in illegal activities. Kenyan officials have also raised concerns about increasing reports of citizens being linked to questionable activities abroad, particularly involving drug trafficking and illegal migration.
