The six-day operation, known as "Global Chain," involved nearly 15,000 officers from 43 countries and led to significant seizures and discoveries regarding the human trafficking trade.**
International Crackdown on Human Trafficking Nets Over 150 Arrests**
International Crackdown on Human Trafficking Nets Over 150 Arrests**
A coordinated global initiative targeting human trafficking has resulted in more than 150 arrests and over 1,000 victims identified.**
An international crackdown on human trafficking has culminated in over 150 arrests and the identification of more than 1,000 victims in a coordinated six-day operation named "Global Chain." Conducted at the beginning of June, the operation mobilized nearly 15,000 law enforcement officials from 43 countries spanning Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America, according to Interpol.
This sweeping effort focused on dismantling organized criminal enterprises engaged in the trafficking of vulnerable individuals, particularly minors, for purposes such as sexual exploitation, forced labor, and coercive begging. Europol reported that many victims of sexual exploitation were women, often recruited from foreign countries and subsequently compelled to work in massage parlors where coercion into prostitution was standard operating procedure.
David Caunter, director of organized and emerging crime at Interpol, highlighted the severe impact of human trafficking, calling it a "brutal and devastating crime" that strips individuals of their humanity while preying on the most marginalized groups, including children.
The operation resulted in 158 arrests and the identification of an additional 205 suspects, alongside discovering 1,194 potential victims. Although primarily European-focused, arrests were also made in countries like Thailand, Nigeria, and Vietnam.
In Malta, law enforcement rescued three Colombian women, who had been misled by an Italian national into believing they were coming for cleaning jobs. Upon their arrival, their passports were confiscated under the pretext of securing work permits, which were subsequently used to force them into prostitution.
In Austria, police apprehended seven suspects linked to a Romanian family-run gang employing the "lover-boy" tactic to lure women into sexual and labor exploitation under false romantic pretenses. In Italy, authorities raided numerous massage parlors suspected of facilitating sexual exploitation, identifying 75 potential trafficking victims.
The operation revealed a vast network of trafficking victims hailing from 64 different nations, predominantly Romania, Ukraine, Colombia, China, and Hungary. Additionally, the authorities seized €277,669 (£240,351) in cash, alongside 30 firearms, 65 fake documents, and a significant quantity of cannabis.
This year’s operation echoes a similar initiative held last year, which led to 200 arrests and the identification of more than 1,300 victims, indicating the ongoing global challenge posed by human trafficking.
