Pune: The Anti-Human Trafficking and Prevention Unit of Pune Police has unearthed a prostitution racket operating under the guise of a spa on NIBM Road.

The raid, conducted at Irene Spa, resulted in the arrest of the manager and owner, who were allegedly running the illicit business.

The accused have been identified as Shiv Rajesh Bhosale, aged 21, residing at Sainik Vihar, NIBM Post Office Road, and Nikhil Rajendra Naik, aged 26, residing at Green Park Society, Fursungi.

Acting on a tip-off, the police were informed that women were being coerced into prostitution at the spa through promises of financial rewards.

The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit deployed a decoy customer to confirm the illegal activities. Once verified, the team raided the premises on Saturday afternoon.

During the raid, police discovered that women were being exploited for prostitution under the pretext of providing massage services. The earnings from the illegal activities were being used for personal sustenance by the accused.

The police seized three mobile phones worth ₹76,000 and cash from the spa during the raid. Both the manager and the owner were arrested on the spot. A case has been registered, and Inspector Shaikh is leading further investigations into the matter.