Interpol: 158 arrests in anti-human trafficking operation
The raids took place in over 40 countries around the world. Nearly 15,000 officers were involved in the investigations.
A total of around 1,200 suspected victims have been identified, the international police organization Interpol announced at its headquarters in Lyon, France. They come from 64 countries, mainly Romania , Ukraine , Colombia , and China .
The operation, led by Romanian and Austrian authorities, began in early June. It focused on victims of sexual exploitation , forced crime, and forced begging. Nearly 15,000 officers from 43 countries were involved in the investigation, according to Interpol. 158 people were arrested.
Women victims of sexual exploitation"The majority of victims of sexual exploitation identified during the operation were adult women," Interpol stated. Underage victims, on the other hand, were more often forced into begging or pickpocketing. Many of the young victims were exploited by their own families.
According to Interpol, the operation in Brazil broke up a human trafficking ring that had recruited victims with fake job offers and brought them to Myanmar for sexual exploitation.
During raids on massage parlors in Italy, 75 alleged victims from Romania, China, and Colombia were found. Drugs and firearms were also seized.
pg/jj (afp, Interpol)
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