In 2014, Our Rescue conducted its biggest rescue operation to date. It was called Operation Triple Take, with three operations in three different Colombian cities to rescue victims of sex trafficking. Along with the 123 survivors liberated, 20 traffickers were arrested and now face charges for their heinous crimes. One of them was a former beauty pageant queen and professional model in her early twenties, known as “Miss Cartagena.”
The woman’s reputation in her home of Obrero, a poor neighborhood in the South of Cartagena, made her an effective recruiter of young girls and boys. As a former beauty pageant queen and trained social worker, she was admired and trusted as a leader in her impoverished community. She also appeared in a music video for a 20-time Latin Grammy award-winning Colombian musician, further boosting her status.
The woman was eventually arrested for recruiting and trafficking children while using her credentials in Colombia. She was accused of using her good standing to lure children away from their families with false promises.
Her alleged trafficking network was exposed by undercover Our Rescue operatives during Operation Triple Take.
KNOW THE SIGNS OF PREDATORS POSING AS TRUSTED ADULTS
Disturbing as it may be, it’s common for predators to use their stature to lure innocent victims by giving a false sense of security to children and their parents. Predators may pose as “coaches” or “casting agents”, and convince the children that they need to travel, starting with a short distance and then moving further away. The parents are enticed by the idea that their child has the potential to become a star and by the promise that all expenses will be paid. Using these methods, predators create a false sense of trust and legitimacy, which lures child victims in and tricks their parents.