KOLKATA: Thirty men, including brothel managers, pimps and customers, were arrested from four upper middle-class neighbourhoods in south Kolkata during successive raids late on Sunday night. The raids were conducted by the anti-human trafficking unit (AHTU) of detective department.With these arrests, it is now officially confirmed that sex trade has been growing outside the red-light areas of Kolkata and gradually moving to neighbourhoods that attract least attention. Cops and NGO workers claimed that most sex workers hail from extremely poor background and almost all were tricked into joining the profession. They are paid Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 as monthly salary.The first raid was carried out at a flat on Price Anwar Shah Road, close to the Lords Crossing. During the raid, eight persons, including the brothel manager, were arrested. Seven sex workers and victims were rescued.The second raid took place at a “family spa” located on Bhagwan Mahavir Sarani (Heysham Road) in Bhowanipore. During the raid, nine customers, 10 sex workers, one manager and two pimps were found in the brothel.The third raid took place at an office-cum-flat on the first floor of a Rashbehari Avenue house, located close to Triangular Park. Two customers, the brothel owner and the brothel manager were arrested. Six sex workers were rescued.The last raid was on Mirza Ghalib Street under the New market police station area. The brothel manager, two pimps and three customers were arrested from the spot. All the arrested were booked under sections 3,4,5,7 and 18 of the Immoral Trafficking Act.The detective department’s master plan to rid the city of sex rackets was chalked out after NGOs like IJM pointed out about minors and poor women being pushed into houses in other parts of the city after red-light areas came under close scrutiny. Last week, one woman managed to call the women’s commission and complained about such a racket operating from Alipore.Probe shows that these rackets are no longer confined to certain pockets in the city. Cops have found their presence in posh neighbourhoods such as Park Street, Tollygunge, Jodhpur Park , Jadavpur, Dover Lane and Hindustan Park and also in middle-class neighbourhoods.A crack team from Lalbazar has been scanning advertisements being put up in newspapers, websites and localities, and registering suo motu cases if initial investigation shows the charges are correct.Explaining the modus operandi, an officer said, the parlours keep one or two men in the front, who operate as pimps. Even if a customer is unaware of the thriving business inside, these men give them enough hints about presence of prostitutes. On most occasions, they take the customers either to a secluded portion or to a mezzanine floor that often has small rooms.