Canada wide human trafficking books 32 people with 78 offences
Along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) in the United States, more than 390 officers from the Canadian police services, teamed up together, to directly engage with people suspected of working in the sex trade, potentially against their will.
The Operation Northern Spotlight, saw many arrested in Ontario. 25 people were charged with 67 offences in Ontario alone.
17 police services and several RCMP municipal detachment s across Canada participated in the investigation, outside of Ontario.
The main charges laid during the investigation include trafficking in persons under 18, procure sexual services under 18, exercising control, making child pornography, and distributing child pornography.
Investigators said they were also able to confirm the safety of 16 people, aged 16 or under who had been working in the sex trade as a minor or against their will.
Rick Barnum of the Ontario Provincial Police says, “Canada’s police leaders remain committed to fighting human trafficking through intelligence-gathering, working with our law enforcement and community partners to support victims, and continuing our enforcement efforts.”
According to Toronto police human trafficking is “a local, provincial and national problem that affects the most vulnerable in society.”
Reporting by Debarati Mukherjee
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