A recent international human trafficking crackdown has led to more than 150 arrests and the identification of over 1,000 victims. The six-day operation, which took place at the start of June, involved nearly 15,000 officers from 43 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. According to Interpol, the operation targeted organized criminal gangs involved in trafficking people, typically underage, for the purpose of sexual exploitation, forced criminality, and begging.
David Caunter, director of organized and emerging crime at Interpol, said that human trafficking is a brutal and devastating crime that strips people of their dignity, freedom, and humanity, preying on the most vulnerable, including children. “Human trafficking is a brutal and devastating crime that strips people of their dignity, freedom, and humanity, preying on the most vulnerable, including children,” he said.
The operation, dubbed “Global Chain,” made 158 arrests in total and identified a further 205 suspects, while 1,194 potential victims were discovered. It was led by Austrian and Romanian authorities and focused primarily on Europe but also saw suspects arrested in Thailand, Nigeria, and Vietnam. Police in Malta freed three Colombian women who were originally offered employment as cleaners but were coerced into prostitution after their passports were confiscated.
In Austria, officers made seven arrests in connection with a Romanian family-based gang that allegedly used the “lover-boy” method to lure women into sexual exploitation and forced criminality under the pretense of a romantic relationship. In Italy, police raided several massage parlors with suspected links to sexual exploitation, identifying 75 potential trafficking victims.
The operation also saw €277,669 (£240,351) in cash seized, as well as 30 guns, 65 fraudulent documents, and a tonne of cannabis. Potential trafficking victims originated from 64 countries around the globe, but the majority came from Romania, Ukraine, Colombia, China, and Hungary.
A similar operation took place around the same time last year, resulting in the arrest of 200 suspects and the identification of more than 1,300 victims. The global crackdown on human trafficking highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat this complex and multifaceted issue.