Fourteen Nepali girls believed to be on their way to a life of prostitution in the Gulf were rescued in the Indian town of Gorakhpur near Nepal’s border, a report said Sunday.

“The girls were rescued from two hotels near Gorakhpur’s railway station on Friday before they could board a train for Mumbai,” AFP reported Sunday quoting a report by Press Trust of India (PTI). The PTI report quoted local police.

Police said they arrested six Nepali couples who allegedly lured the girls with promises of employment in Kuwait and Oman. They face prison if convicted on charges of kidnapping and human trafficking.

Human rights groups estimate more than 80,000 girls are smuggled each year from Nepal to India destined for brothels, the report said.