Over 1,000 arrested in global human trafficking crackdown across 59 countries
More than 1,000 people have been arrested following a major international operation targeting human trafficking networks across 59 countries.
The coordinated initiative, known as Operation Global Chain, was led by Interpol and focused on dismantling criminal groups involved in trafficking people for sexual exploitation, forced labour, criminal activities and forced begging.
During the operation, authorities dismantled a trafficking network that lured victims to Cambodia and forced them into online scam operations, as well as another network that recruited underage girls through social media and exploited them in prostitution across parts of Europe.
Investigators identified 2,070 victims or potential victims, the majority of them women. Of those arrested, 334 were detained on human trafficking charges, while another 690 were arrested for related offences.
Interpol, which conducted the operation in collaboration with Europol and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), said the investigation revealed changing trafficking routes and evolving criminal methods.
Among the emerging trends identified was the increasing trafficking of Latin Americans into Europe for forced labour. Authorities also found that around 10% of the victims were minors from the Americas who had been exploited sexually.
In Colombia, officials launched an airport awareness campaign during the operation to educate travellers about fraudulent overseas job offers commonly used by traffickers to lure victims.
Interpol said Brazil’s Federal Police uncovered a transnational trafficking network that transported victims to Cambodia, where they were forced to participate in online fraud schemes. The investigation identified 406 victims, comprising 83 Brazilians and 323 foreign nationals.
International notices have also been issued to locate and arrest additional suspects connected to the trafficking networks.
In Argentina, police rescued two Bolivian children who had allegedly been forced to work in a grocery store and arrested those responsible.
Meanwhile, Belgian authorities arrested 17 suspects after dismantling a trafficking ring accused of recruiting victims through social media, holding them captive and forcing them into prostitution in Belgium and France.
The operation, conducted between June 8 and June 12, involved about 40,000 law enforcement officers from countries across Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe.
Investigators found that most victims had been trafficked for sexual exploitation. About 20% were forced into criminal activities, 11% into forced labour and 2% into forced begging.
Interpol said those identified during the operation have been referred to national support and protection services, while authorities have opened 465 investigations linked to the crackdown.
An additional 201 suspects have also been identified for further investigation. Countries including the United Kingdom, United States, France, Germany, Spain, Nigeria, Thailand and Vietnam participated in the operation.
Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza described human trafficking as one of the world’s most profitable and widespread forms of organised crime, generating billions of dollars in illegal profits annually.
He said the crime inflicts long-term harm on victims and noted that the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of international cooperation in disrupting trafficking networks and strengthening cross-border law enforcement efforts.
Source: BBC
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