An Interpol-backed operation in Mali has resulted in the rescue of 64 women and girls who are thought to have been victims of human trafficking and people smuggling gangs.
In a statement, the global law enforcement agency said Operation Horonya saw the victims, who were from several African countries including Burkina Faso, Guinea and Nigeria, rescued from a life of forced labour, prostitution and forced begging.
The operation, which took place last month, involved local investigators targeting known trafficking hotspots, and resulted in suspected trafficking victims being rescued from settings including bars, residential properties and mining sites.
Three young boys were rescued from an illegal Islamic school, where they were said to have been compelled to beg for money.
Interpol said the operation has so far led to the arrest of four suspected traffickers, and that ongoing lines of enquiry could result in the detention of others.
As part of the initiative, law enforcement officers checked travellers’ passports at Bamako international airport, screening travel documents against a range of Interpol databases via I-24/7, the agency’s secure global police communications network.
Interpol said the effort highlighted a regional connection between human trafficking and organised criminal networks, and noted that suspected victims had been exploited in different countries before they arrived in Mali.
After their rescue, victims were offered protection and support from the International Organisation for Migration, as well as local NGO War Against Human Trafficking.
Commenting on the success of the operation, Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock said: “Mali serves as major transit country for human traffickers who target the most vulnerable members of society.
“With victims from a range of countries, this operation showed that human trafficking and people smuggling is a truly transnational problem.
“Interpol’s role to connect police agencies across the world is essential in fighting these terrible crimes, and we will continue to work with our member countries to make sure they get the support they need.”
Back in August, Interpol announced that a similar operation in West Africa had resulted in the rescue of over 100 suspected victims of human trafficking, including 35 children.
Operation Adwenpa IV involved more than 200 officers from law enforcement agencies in 13 countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
Many of the children rescued in that operation were discovered around the land border between Benin and Niger.
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