Since at least November 2023, a transnational criminal organization was exploiting vulnerable women from Latin America, Europe, and Africa. The group lured the women through deception and debt bondage, controlling them through housing, and profiting from their sexual exploitation by managing five brothels and advertising services online. In addition to human trafficking, the organization was engaging in illegal gambling, money laundering, and other criminal activities, including drug and weapons offenses.
A coordinated operation was organized by the Department for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Goods after they uncovered the structure and methods of the criminal network. Our Rescue supported the operation along with A21, and authorities arrested 17 individuals connected to the network’s leadership. An additional three people were arrested for related pimping, drug, and weapons charges, bringing the case file to 40 suspects under investigation.
Operation Outcomes
Arrests and Seizures
- 20 arrests tied to a network involving 40 suspects
- Multiple firearms and weapons
- Large sums of cash
- 2 cars and 2 motorcycles taken into evidence
- 31 mobile phones, 19 computers, safes, and digital storage devices recovered
To date, authorities have identified four survivors of human trafficking from Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil. These survivors were immediately connected with survivor care support through Our Rescue and A21, receiving trauma-informed services and safe repatriation assistance to their home countries.
Your donation to Our Rescue directly funds rescue operations, survivor support, and preventative programs, giving vulnerable individuals a chance to escape exploitation and reclaim their future. Because of your support, every child and woman we help is one step closer to safety, dignity, and hope.
