1 00:00:00,834 --> 00:00:03,253 Thank you for tuning in to Voices for Freedom, 2 00:00:03,253 --> 00:00:05,588 an Anti-Human Trafficking Podcast. 3 00:00:05,588 --> 00:00:07,882 We want to acknowledge that the content we discuss 4 00:00:07,882 --> 00:00:11,386 can be emotionally challenging and may evoke strong reactions. 5 00:00:11,386 --> 00:00:15,640 The stories we share often delve into tough subjects related to human trafficking, 6 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:18,893 which may be difficult for some listeners to hear. 7 00:00:18,893 --> 00:00:21,521 Our goal is to raise awareness and promote 8 00:00:21,521 --> 00:00:24,941 understanding of the complexities surrounding human trafficking. 9 00:00:24,941 --> 00:00:28,361 Listener discretion is advised. 10 00:00:33,324 --> 00:00:33,867 Coming up 11 00:00:33,867 --> 00:00:37,662 Voices for Freedom, an Anti-Trafficking Podcast. 12 00:00:37,662 --> 00:00:41,708 We looked at police reports that were pending 13 00:00:41,708 --> 00:00:44,461 and we found one where it involved, 14 00:00:44,461 --> 00:00:48,006 a father who locked up his three children 15 00:00:48,006 --> 00:00:52,343 in a ten by ten wooden room. 16 00:00:52,343 --> 00:00:54,012 These kids, were fed 17 00:00:54,012 --> 00:00:57,807 through the crack of the door that he would pass food to them. 18 00:00:57,807 --> 00:01:00,810 And for six months, they were locked in that room. 19 00:01:00,810 --> 00:01:03,688 We were able to, rescue them as well. 20 00:01:03,688 --> 00:01:06,983 So if we had not acted, 21 00:01:06,983 --> 00:01:09,319 there would have been nine children, 22 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:12,322 that would never have been rescued. 23 00:01:16,117 --> 00:01:17,285 Welcome to Voices for Freedom, 24 00:01:17,285 --> 00:01:21,372 an anti-trafficking podcast brought to you by OUR Rescue. 25 00:01:21,372 --> 00:01:25,376 I'm Matt Osborne,Global Ambassador for Operations and Education. 26 00:01:25,376 --> 00:01:29,881 My co-host, Jessica Mass, and I have really enjoyed this weekly podcast series, 27 00:01:29,881 --> 00:01:34,177 where we focus on the depth and breadth of what we do in OUR Rescue, 28 00:01:34,177 --> 00:01:38,389 focusing on international operations, domestic operations, our K9 program, 29 00:01:38,389 --> 00:01:41,684 survivor care, our new leadership, the new direction. 30 00:01:41,684 --> 00:01:44,521 We have many more episodes to come. 31 00:01:44,521 --> 00:01:49,150 What I'm so excited about today is we get to focus back on international operations 32 00:01:49,150 --> 00:01:53,780 and introduce you to one of the amazing individuals on the frontline 33 00:01:53,780 --> 00:01:55,073 in this fight. 34 00:01:55,073 --> 00:01:58,743 We are going to go all the way down south to Ecuador. 35 00:01:58,743 --> 00:02:01,371 Let me see here if the technology is working. 36 00:02:01,371 --> 00:02:04,624 We are joined by Albert de la Huerta, 37 00:02:04,624 --> 00:02:07,877 our Regional Operations Director for Latin America. 38 00:02:07,877 --> 00:02:11,172 Albert, can you hear me? How are you today? 39 00:02:11,172 --> 00:02:11,923 Hey, Matt, how are you? 40 00:02:11,923 --> 00:02:13,091 I can hear you perfectly. 41 00:02:13,091 --> 00:02:14,134 Thank you for having me. 42 00:02:14,134 --> 00:02:15,176 Well, thank you very much. 43 00:02:15,176 --> 00:02:16,511 I've gotten to know you a little bit. 44 00:02:16,511 --> 00:02:20,306 I see the operational tempo that your teams have almost every day. 45 00:02:20,306 --> 00:02:22,517 The support you're providing to so many countries. 46 00:02:22,517 --> 00:02:24,018 So thank you for taking time 47 00:02:24,018 --> 00:02:27,522 out of your busy schedule to appear on Voices for Freedom. 48 00:02:27,522 --> 00:02:30,650 You have had a very interesting career before 49 00:02:30,650 --> 00:02:33,653 you got to OUR Rescue with government, law enforcement. 50 00:02:33,736 --> 00:02:37,782 Maybe take time to share a little bit with our audience how you first 51 00:02:37,782 --> 00:02:43,037 came to work these cases of child exploitation and human trafficking? 52 00:02:43,037 --> 00:02:45,957 Well, my path to where I am now 53 00:02:45,957 --> 00:02:49,043 was a windy one and it was not planned. 54 00:02:49,043 --> 00:02:51,880 I was actually going 55 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,592 through university for my MBA, 56 00:02:55,592 --> 00:02:59,762 and I never planned on being in law enforcement. 57 00:02:59,762 --> 00:03:01,222 And because someone offered 58 00:03:01,222 --> 00:03:04,976 me a job with the cruise line while I was going to school, 59 00:03:04,976 --> 00:03:08,271 I was able to meet an FBI agent who offered me 60 00:03:08,271 --> 00:03:12,400 the job, and I decided then to try it. 61 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:16,070 And 30 years later, here I am. 62 00:03:16,070 --> 00:03:20,241 I was a special agent with, U.S. Customs. 63 00:03:20,241 --> 00:03:23,036 I started in 1993. 64 00:03:23,036 --> 00:03:25,455 In 2003, 65 00:03:25,455 --> 00:03:29,834 they merged Customs into the Department of Homeland Security. 66 00:03:29,834 --> 00:03:31,961 Homeland Security Investigations, 67 00:03:31,961 --> 00:03:34,380 where I worked for another 20 years. 68 00:03:34,380 --> 00:03:37,467 we did all types of investigations 69 00:03:37,467 --> 00:03:43,264 from, narcotics trafficking to arms trafficking, money laundering, 70 00:03:43,264 --> 00:03:47,602 human trafficking, child exploitation. 71 00:03:47,602 --> 00:03:50,813 So we had a very wide variety of investigations. 72 00:03:50,813 --> 00:03:53,566 My last four years, 73 00:03:53,566 --> 00:03:54,817 I was lucky enough. 74 00:03:54,817 --> 00:03:59,489 And that's part of where my path was unexpected, because my kids had grown up. 75 00:03:59,489 --> 00:04:01,157 My opportunity to come to, 76 00:04:01,157 --> 00:04:05,745 Ecuador came open and I decided to take the chance on it. 77 00:04:05,745 --> 00:04:07,455 And I came to, Quito, 78 00:04:07,455 --> 00:04:11,042 and I was the attache here for three years, so I retired. 79 00:04:11,042 --> 00:04:12,210 Was there. Yeah. 80 00:04:12,210 --> 00:04:13,711 Was there an emblematic case? 81 00:04:13,711 --> 00:04:15,755 Do you remember the first case you worked? 82 00:04:15,755 --> 00:04:17,882 Was it before you got to Ecuador, 83 00:04:17,882 --> 00:04:19,175 as attache? 84 00:04:19,175 --> 00:04:23,137 Obviously Homeland Security Investigations are amazing in what they do. 85 00:04:23,137 --> 00:04:25,640 That's a more recent, iteration, isn't it? 86 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:28,142 HSI. You know, of the ICE and the DHS. 87 00:04:28,142 --> 00:04:29,852 But talk us a little bit about that. 88 00:04:29,852 --> 00:04:31,938 And maybe if there's a case that you remember 89 00:04:31,938 --> 00:04:35,650 from your government career dealing with human trafficking. 90 00:04:35,650 --> 00:04:38,319 One of the strongest cases 91 00:04:38,319 --> 00:04:42,323 I had in Miami involved, 92 00:04:42,323 --> 00:04:44,325 a bar that was forcing several 93 00:04:44,325 --> 00:04:47,370 women to, have sex for money. 94 00:04:47,370 --> 00:04:48,579 And they were locked in. 95 00:04:48,579 --> 00:04:50,456 They would sleep in the bar, 96 00:04:50,456 --> 00:04:54,294 and we were able to, conduct a rescue and arrest them. 97 00:04:54,294 --> 00:04:58,214 When I arrived in Quito, 98 00:04:58,214 --> 00:04:59,340 the office here was 99 00:04:59,340 --> 00:05:03,303 100% focused on narcotics smuggling. 100 00:05:03,303 --> 00:05:08,016 And it bothered me a bit because we did so much more. 101 00:05:08,016 --> 00:05:10,727 So I changed the focus of the office immediately. 102 00:05:10,727 --> 00:05:13,980 I started making contacts 103 00:05:13,980 --> 00:05:15,898 with the Ecuador National Police, 104 00:05:15,898 --> 00:05:18,067 with the Human Trafficking Units, 105 00:05:18,067 --> 00:05:22,447 with the Child Pornography Units. 106 00:05:22,447 --> 00:05:27,910 And I really started to focus on that. 107 00:05:27,910 --> 00:05:30,913 And that is the only way how I got to OUR, 108 00:05:30,913 --> 00:05:34,834 because that's when I got introduced to OUR, 109 00:05:34,834 --> 00:05:36,878 and I started working very closely with them. 110 00:05:36,878 --> 00:05:39,088 How did you first hear about OUR Rescue? 111 00:05:39,088 --> 00:05:42,258 How did you know that this is what you wanted to do? 112 00:05:42,258 --> 00:05:44,218 Because I would just say again, to you 113 00:05:44,218 --> 00:05:46,137 and to so many, and we just have so many amazing 114 00:05:46,137 --> 00:05:49,932 women and men in our organization who for them, this is their second career. 115 00:05:49,932 --> 00:05:51,184 They were former government. 116 00:05:51,184 --> 00:05:53,686 They were former prosecutors, former law enforcement, 117 00:05:53,686 --> 00:05:56,814 former military across the board, experts in business. 118 00:05:56,814 --> 00:05:58,733 These men and women could really do anything 119 00:05:58,733 --> 00:06:00,443 with that second stage of their career. 120 00:06:00,443 --> 00:06:02,570 And yet they choose to work for OUR Rescue. 121 00:06:02,570 --> 00:06:05,073 What was it about our organization? How you heard about us? 122 00:06:05,073 --> 00:06:08,451 How you first started again with this case that will discuss, 123 00:06:08,451 --> 00:06:11,204 to give again our audience a little bit of an idea of how you went 124 00:06:11,204 --> 00:06:16,376 from US Federal Government, Attache for Homeland Security Investigations 125 00:06:16,376 --> 00:06:18,461 in the embassy in Quito, Ecuador, to 126 00:06:18,461 --> 00:06:22,173 now in, you know, helping lead our operations in Latin America? 127 00:06:22,173 --> 00:06:25,510 I heard about OUR they were working closely with the 128 00:06:25,510 --> 00:06:29,722 at the attache office in, Bogota, Colombia. 129 00:06:29,722 --> 00:06:31,599 So it brought interest to me. 130 00:06:31,599 --> 00:06:34,811 I heard really good things about the organization. 131 00:06:34,811 --> 00:06:37,522 Luckily, I knew the regional director 132 00:06:37,522 --> 00:06:41,109 personally from OUR over South America. 133 00:06:41,109 --> 00:06:43,361 I contacted him at that point. 134 00:06:43,361 --> 00:06:47,281 There is no OUR presence in Ecuador at all. 135 00:06:47,281 --> 00:06:50,034 So I was able to make contact and invited him to come. 136 00:06:50,034 --> 00:06:51,619 I that I made introductions 137 00:06:51,619 --> 00:06:54,705 with the Ecuador National Police, and we started working together. 138 00:06:54,705 --> 00:06:57,375 And as you know, I’ll set the scene 139 00:06:57,375 --> 00:06:59,585 a little bit for this first part of the operation. 140 00:06:59,585 --> 00:07:05,049 This was an operation, against a suspected pedophile ring 141 00:07:05,049 --> 00:07:06,008 from the Netherlands. 142 00:07:06,008 --> 00:07:07,260 I think we could probably even take 143 00:07:07,260 --> 00:07:10,096 that suspected off of their because they had been 144 00:07:10,096 --> 00:07:13,516 convicted and charged in the Netherlands of wanting to start a political party 145 00:07:13,516 --> 00:07:18,438 that essentially legalized sex between adults and children. 146 00:07:18,438 --> 00:07:23,985 And we had gotten information that there was one member of this ring in Mexico, 147 00:07:23,985 --> 00:07:28,364 and we have footage of this, working very closely with Mexico authorities 148 00:07:28,364 --> 00:07:29,574 and this individual. 149 00:07:29,574 --> 00:07:34,203 He, you know, he's very tall and he had his red spiky hair the day of his arrest. 150 00:07:34,203 --> 00:07:38,291 And he was again admitting to us, that he was, 151 00:07:38,291 --> 00:07:42,253 you know, hiding out in Mexico because he could get away with, with, 152 00:07:42,253 --> 00:07:44,172 you know, this, these terrible crimes that he couldn't 153 00:07:44,172 --> 00:07:46,382 maybe in the Netherlands because they were looking for him. 154 00:07:46,382 --> 00:07:50,011 Well, through some investigations with this case, in this individual, 155 00:07:50,011 --> 00:07:54,557 we got leads that he had been down with two of his other Dutch buddies in Ecuador, 156 00:07:54,557 --> 00:07:58,311 very close to home in a small town that you can discuss in a minute. 157 00:07:58,311 --> 00:08:01,481 But you had then these two individuals and a few others 158 00:08:01,481 --> 00:08:03,649 where it's a fascinating dynamic. 159 00:08:03,649 --> 00:08:06,777 And I think maybe our audience doesn't realize how prevalent this is 160 00:08:06,777 --> 00:08:10,239 around the world, where Westerners mostly 161 00:08:10,239 --> 00:08:14,243 pedophiles, set up in rural areas, third world countries 162 00:08:14,243 --> 00:08:17,288 where they buy off the local population 163 00:08:17,288 --> 00:08:22,210 through money or giving them food, you know, TV sets or, 164 00:08:22,210 --> 00:08:25,838 or through force, fraud, coercion kind of have 165 00:08:25,838 --> 00:08:29,884 sway over a town where then they're able to exploit their children. 166 00:08:29,884 --> 00:08:34,305 So once we found this network had moved down to our small town in Ecuador, 167 00:08:34,305 --> 00:08:37,850 can you take over of what you were working on again, always 168 00:08:37,850 --> 00:08:39,352 with Ecuadorian authorities. 169 00:08:39,352 --> 00:08:41,896 And then we'll in that segment, we'll end the next segment. 170 00:08:41,896 --> 00:08:46,275 Then with sort of the beyond, you know, what with the good that you've done there 171 00:08:46,275 --> 00:08:47,401 and focus on your region. 172 00:08:47,401 --> 00:08:51,113 But this was a really emblematic case for us because it was 173 00:08:51,113 --> 00:08:54,825 multinational, you know, multi-jurisdictional, true international. 174 00:08:54,825 --> 00:08:58,538 And again, a group of pet predators who had already been convicted 175 00:08:58,538 --> 00:09:00,581 in their countries had fled. 176 00:09:00,581 --> 00:09:04,961 And now, again, not to steal the thunder, but two of them in your country 177 00:09:04,961 --> 00:09:09,173 have been convicted for the crimes they were committing in Ecuador. 178 00:09:09,173 --> 00:09:13,386 To me was an interesting investigation because I saw it first from the law 179 00:09:13,386 --> 00:09:19,308 enforcement, HSI perspective, and then I dealt with it as OUR. 180 00:09:19,308 --> 00:09:22,186 First OUR did an excellent job. 181 00:09:22,186 --> 00:09:27,567 Without those leads, we would never have known about that group in Canoa. 182 00:09:27,567 --> 00:09:31,153 As soon as we got the information, 183 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,490 I got the Ecuadorian National Police. 184 00:09:34,490 --> 00:09:38,202 We started doing a surveillances on the hotel. 185 00:09:38,202 --> 00:09:42,498 As you said, it was a hotel that was offering, child sex tourism. 186 00:09:42,498 --> 00:09:46,002 They were using different, chat groups and social media, 187 00:09:46,002 --> 00:09:50,131 to advertise what they were doing. 188 00:09:50,131 --> 00:09:54,176 And when we were doing surveillance, we did it for maybe, two weeks. 189 00:09:54,176 --> 00:09:57,221 We observed lots of children going in 190 00:09:57,221 --> 00:10:00,516 and out of that hotel on a daily basis. 191 00:10:00,516 --> 00:10:05,980 What the two Dutch citizens were doing was offering free lunch 192 00:10:05,980 --> 00:10:08,858 to the kids in Canoa, 193 00:10:08,858 --> 00:10:11,360 taking advantage of their vulnerability and how poor they were 194 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:12,445 that they were desperate for food. 195 00:10:12,445 --> 00:10:15,114 So they would go into the hotel. 196 00:10:15,114 --> 00:10:18,743 When they were inside the hotel, they would drug the kids, 197 00:10:18,743 --> 00:10:21,954 and then they would sell them basically for the tourists that were there 198 00:10:21,954 --> 00:10:23,873 staying at the hotel. 199 00:10:23,873 --> 00:10:27,668 When we did the arrests, there were only 200 00:10:27,668 --> 00:10:31,881 a few children there, basically from one family. 201 00:10:31,881 --> 00:10:34,717 But also because it was late at night right? 202 00:10:34,717 --> 00:10:36,552 The Ecuadorian authorities go in, 203 00:10:36,552 --> 00:10:38,804 because we don't have arrest authority in OUR Rescue. 204 00:10:38,804 --> 00:10:41,766 This was all at their behest, their request for our support. 205 00:10:41,891 --> 00:10:42,475 And then you're right. 206 00:10:42,475 --> 00:10:45,019 One of the suspects, Leslie, was there. 207 00:10:45,019 --> 00:10:47,647 his partner Martin was not there. 208 00:10:47,647 --> 00:10:52,485 And there was, I think, what 1 or 2 children, however, describe that place. 209 00:10:52,485 --> 00:10:55,112 I mean, again, I've only seen it on video, 210 00:10:55,112 --> 00:10:57,406 there were games there, maybe a swimming pool. 211 00:10:57,406 --> 00:10:58,532 Right? 212 00:10:58,532 --> 00:11:00,368 you know, some sort of X-Box or something. 213 00:11:00,368 --> 00:11:01,202 Talk to us, a little bit 214 00:11:01,202 --> 00:11:02,662 about what they found inside. 215 00:11:02,662 --> 00:11:05,164 they were very selective about their location. 216 00:11:05,164 --> 00:11:10,753 First of all, the hotel was literally across the street from a children's park. 217 00:11:10,753 --> 00:11:12,546 As you said, they enticed 218 00:11:12,546 --> 00:11:16,342 the children with, Xbox who play video games there. 219 00:11:16,342 --> 00:11:20,221 They gave free food, was very welcoming to the children. 220 00:11:20,221 --> 00:11:21,639 These children were drugged 221 00:11:21,639 --> 00:11:25,351 and they would leave afterwards and not know what happened to them. 222 00:11:25,351 --> 00:11:27,269 Sometimes they were bleeding, 223 00:11:27,269 --> 00:11:30,648 sometimes they were in pain and they didn't know what happened. 224 00:11:30,648 --> 00:11:32,274 Yeah. And and just unbelievable. 225 00:11:32,274 --> 00:11:32,900 Some of the footage, 226 00:11:32,900 --> 00:11:36,112 some of the interviews with the survivors, a little boys on scene. 227 00:11:36,112 --> 00:11:39,949 And I remember one boy would say with his father there, 228 00:11:39,949 --> 00:11:42,952 you know, telling authorities nothing happened, nothing happened. 229 00:11:42,952 --> 00:11:45,329 And then the boy's father put his hand on his shoulder. 230 00:11:45,329 --> 00:11:47,123 Right. It's okay. You can tell. 231 00:11:47,123 --> 00:11:49,875 And then he starts crying and then talks about, yes, having 232 00:11:49,875 --> 00:11:53,629 to take baths and having to be there and then, as you mentioned. 233 00:11:53,629 --> 00:11:55,798 And so just absolutely disgusting. 234 00:11:55,798 --> 00:11:58,759 But, Leslie and Martin were arrested 235 00:11:58,759 --> 00:12:02,555 and they were tried and they were convicted and sentenced. 236 00:12:02,555 --> 00:12:04,849 You were spearheading the aftercare. 237 00:12:04,849 --> 00:12:07,309 And obviously aftercare, survivor care is so challenging. 238 00:12:09,228 --> 00:12:10,938 But as we wrap up this segment, maybe a minute on sort of what you're most 239 00:12:10,938 --> 00:12:14,483 satisfied with in terms of this operation from the beginning to the end. 240 00:12:14,483 --> 00:12:17,778 And then if that was sort of what then made you decide, look, this 241 00:12:17,778 --> 00:12:21,741 I'm going in our rescue full time now, and there's so much, promise 242 00:12:21,741 --> 00:12:25,828 in South America that will then handle in the next segment of this podcast. 243 00:12:25,828 --> 00:12:29,874 I wanted to touch on a point that you made about the vulnerability 244 00:12:29,874 --> 00:12:34,879 and about the parents many times knowing what was happening. 245 00:12:34,879 --> 00:12:37,715 And in this case, this is exactly what was happening. 246 00:12:37,715 --> 00:12:40,468 These parents were aware of what was happening. 247 00:12:40,468 --> 00:12:44,805 they were taking money from the two Dutch citizens. 248 00:12:44,805 --> 00:12:48,142 And none of them came forward and did 249 00:12:48,142 --> 00:12:51,312 a complaint or were willing to testify at trial. 250 00:12:51,312 --> 00:12:56,609 So we technically were not able to charge them for sex tourism. 251 00:12:56,609 --> 00:13:00,654 Fortunately, we were able to locate, 252 00:13:00,654 --> 00:13:03,616 child sexual abuse material, CSAM, 253 00:13:03,616 --> 00:13:06,118 where they were on their phones. 254 00:13:06,118 --> 00:13:08,329 So that's technically what they were charged for. 255 00:13:08,329 --> 00:13:10,289 And, and, sentence for. 256 00:13:10,289 --> 00:13:12,082 If we didn't find those pictures, 257 00:13:12,082 --> 00:13:14,210 they will still be operating in that hotel. 258 00:13:14,210 --> 00:13:17,630 And that's what happens so often is isn't in these trafficking situations. 259 00:13:17,630 --> 00:13:18,589 I mean, you have a victim 260 00:13:18,589 --> 00:13:22,384 who understandably doesn't want to testify against her trafficker, 261 00:13:22,384 --> 00:13:26,055 her victimizer, because through force, fraud, coercion, fear. 262 00:13:26,055 --> 00:13:28,682 So you're right, these two would have gotten off scot free 263 00:13:28,682 --> 00:13:33,395 if not for the digital forensics support that OUR Rescue provided. 264 00:13:33,395 --> 00:13:35,189 Geraldine went down. 265 00:13:35,189 --> 00:13:36,315 You know, Dan went down. 266 00:13:36,315 --> 00:13:39,318 We had other people there on site, and that's a really got them. 267 00:13:39,318 --> 00:13:41,111 The child sex abuse material. 268 00:13:41,111 --> 00:13:43,572 That's why we have these dogs obviously that that, you know, 269 00:13:43,572 --> 00:13:44,949 are able to, to find this. 270 00:13:44,949 --> 00:13:48,702 And, I'm just very grateful for you for your team. 271 00:13:48,702 --> 00:13:52,331 We're under no illusions, right, that other Westerners have, you know, 272 00:13:52,331 --> 00:13:54,625 are operating and exploiting in other towns. 273 00:13:54,625 --> 00:13:56,877 But we're going to continue to work, aren't we? 274 00:13:56,877 --> 00:13:58,087 We're going to continue to track down 275 00:13:58,087 --> 00:14:01,674 a lot of these predators in these areas, because this is happening so often, 276 00:14:01,674 --> 00:14:04,885 and too few people realize what the dynamic is overseas. 277 00:14:04,885 --> 00:14:05,177 and too few people realize what the dynamic is overseas. 278 00:14:05,177 --> 00:14:05,636 and too few people realize what the dynamic is overseas. 279 00:14:05,636 --> 00:14:10,808 And unfortunately, like the Canoa case shows, most of the time is 280 00:14:10,808 --> 00:14:14,478 desperate parents are doing it themselves or selling their children. 281 00:14:14,478 --> 00:14:15,354 So if we're not 282 00:14:15,354 --> 00:14:19,191 the ones that are fighting for it, these kids have no chance at all. 283 00:14:19,191 --> 00:14:22,027 They'll continue being sexually exploited. 284 00:14:22,027 --> 00:14:22,695 Exactly. Well, grateful for that help. 285 00:14:22,695 --> 00:14:25,698 Exactly. Well, grateful for that help. 286 00:14:25,698 --> 00:14:27,783 And glad you're now on full time with us. 287 00:14:27,783 --> 00:14:29,326 We come back in the next segment. 288 00:14:29,326 --> 00:14:32,955 I'd love for you to share maybe 1 or 2 of the most, 289 00:14:32,955 --> 00:14:36,166 detailed operations that you've done in your region. 290 00:14:36,166 --> 00:14:37,418 Again, just to give a little bit 291 00:14:37,418 --> 00:14:41,422 of the of the scope of this, but we're going to take a short break now. 292 00:14:41,422 --> 00:14:43,173 So please don't go anywhere. 293 00:14:43,173 --> 00:14:44,508 A message from our sponsors. 294 00:14:44,508 --> 00:14:45,551 But thank you so much 295 00:14:45,551 --> 00:14:49,305 for joining us on on Voices for Freedom, an Anti-Trafficking Podcast 296 00:14:49,305 --> 00:14:51,140 brought to you by OUR Rescue. 297 00:14:51,140 --> 00:14:53,559 Big thanks to this week's sponsor, 298 00:14:53,559 --> 00:14:56,979 the OUR Rescue Store, for supporting the podcast. 299 00:14:56,979 --> 00:15:00,566 The OUR Rescue store is committed to responsibly sourcing products 300 00:15:00,566 --> 00:15:04,361 that ignite conversations about human trafficking, raising awareness, 301 00:15:04,361 --> 00:15:06,864 and contributing to the movement against it. 302 00:15:06,864 --> 00:15:10,451 With more than enough colors, designs, and items to choose from, 303 00:15:10,451 --> 00:15:13,662 there's definitely something for you. 304 00:15:13,662 --> 00:15:17,917 Find something you'll be proud to own and be an advocate for change. 305 00:15:17,917 --> 00:15:20,920 Visit store.ourrescue.org 306 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:25,591 and use the promo code Voices10 for 10% off your purchase. 307 00:15:25,883 --> 00:15:30,596 That's Voices10 on store.ourrescue.org. 308 00:15:32,181 --> 00:15:33,641 And welcome back to 309 00:15:33,641 --> 00:15:36,060 Voices for Freedom and anti-trafficking podcast. 310 00:15:36,060 --> 00:15:37,853 Brought to you by OUR Rescue. 311 00:15:37,853 --> 00:15:41,315 We've been talking to our Regional Operations Director 312 00:15:41,315 --> 00:15:46,278 for Latin America, Albert de la Huerta, coming to us from Ecuador. 313 00:15:46,278 --> 00:15:51,116 We'll go back down south now through the magic of technology to Ecuador. 314 00:15:51,116 --> 00:15:55,704 Albert, you have, I think, one of the largest regions 315 00:15:55,704 --> 00:15:59,375 under your, command, so to speak, under your leadership, 316 00:15:59,375 --> 00:16:02,044 at least in terms of the number of countries. 317 00:16:02,044 --> 00:16:04,213 Share with us just a few of the countries with whom we're close, 318 00:16:04,213 --> 00:16:09,593 we're working to closest, and then perhaps 1 or 2 operations, 319 00:16:09,593 --> 00:16:12,429 cases that you think really show the challenges. 320 00:16:12,429 --> 00:16:15,849 But also the opportunities that come from OUR Rescue to support 321 00:16:15,849 --> 00:16:19,937 the law enforcement in South America, in Latin America, writ large. 322 00:16:19,937 --> 00:16:22,773 The region is covered all of Latin America. 323 00:16:22,773 --> 00:16:25,067 So we start with the Mexico. 324 00:16:25,067 --> 00:16:27,903 We have, Dominican Republic and the Caribbean. 325 00:16:27,903 --> 00:16:31,240 We have, presence in Panama. 326 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:34,994 We have physical presence in South America, in Ecuador, 327 00:16:34,994 --> 00:16:38,956 Peru, Argentina, and Colombia. 328 00:16:38,956 --> 00:16:41,709 We cover all the other countries on a case by case basis, 329 00:16:41,709 --> 00:16:44,128 but those are the main countries with which we work. 330 00:16:44,128 --> 00:16:47,756 And just to stress too, we are not a vigilante organization. 331 00:16:47,756 --> 00:16:50,467 We go through the front door, or we don't go in at all. 332 00:16:50,467 --> 00:16:53,846 Each of these cases or each of these countries in which we're working, 333 00:16:53,846 --> 00:16:59,476 are always at the express request and invitation of these governments. 334 00:16:59,476 --> 00:17:00,310 That's correct. 335 00:17:00,310 --> 00:17:04,273 And most of these countries are poor. 336 00:17:04,273 --> 00:17:06,316 They don't have a lot of funds for their police. 337 00:17:06,316 --> 00:17:10,362 And much of this work would never happen without our support. 338 00:17:10,362 --> 00:17:13,824 You know, doing the show prep with you earlier this week, 339 00:17:13,824 --> 00:17:16,869 it was just you blew my mind with that case in the Amazon. 340 00:17:16,869 --> 00:17:18,704 And tell us a little bit about that. 341 00:17:18,704 --> 00:17:20,330 And again, you're a humble hero. 342 00:17:20,330 --> 00:17:22,958 We never talk about the dangers your team faces. 343 00:17:22,958 --> 00:17:26,503 But when you think about the Amazon, when you think about the rainforest, 344 00:17:26,503 --> 00:17:29,631 when you think about just the size of the continent, walk us through this 345 00:17:29,631 --> 00:17:33,010 case, sort of from beginning to end in terms of the highlights, 346 00:17:33,010 --> 00:17:35,512 because this one, I'm still kind of reeling, thinking about 347 00:17:35,512 --> 00:17:39,433 how daring it was in a lot of ways, but how necessary to reach exploited 348 00:17:39,433 --> 00:17:43,479 children and adults, who no one was looking for them. 349 00:17:43,479 --> 00:17:44,980 I mean, that's just the way it is. It's true. 350 00:17:44,980 --> 00:17:48,400 No one was looking for them because of the isolation and where they were. 351 00:17:49,610 --> 00:17:51,612 And I think it shows 352 00:17:51,612 --> 00:17:55,699 that OUR is willing to travel to the most remote areas in the world, 353 00:17:55,699 --> 00:18:01,330 to rescue children. It was a beautiful case in that sense. 354 00:18:01,330 --> 00:18:04,875 We worked closely with Ecuador National Police. 355 00:18:04,875 --> 00:18:10,297 They asked us for assistance with funding a trip deep into the Amazon. 356 00:18:10,297 --> 00:18:12,966 So of course I assisted with that. 357 00:18:12,966 --> 00:18:17,638 I traveled along, as well as surivor care came along with us. 358 00:18:17,638 --> 00:18:19,181 It was very long and arduous. 359 00:18:19,181 --> 00:18:20,682 It was a 360 00:18:20,682 --> 00:18:23,102 eight hour drive the first night. 361 00:18:23,102 --> 00:18:26,146 Then we drove another five hours, six hours 362 00:18:26,146 --> 00:18:29,983 into the Amazon by car, and then we had to, rent. 363 00:18:29,983 --> 00:18:34,613 I had to rent eight canoes for 40 officers, 40 people 364 00:18:34,613 --> 00:18:36,698 to go to, 365 00:18:36,698 --> 00:18:41,286 five hours more by, canoe into a very remote village. 366 00:18:41,286 --> 00:18:44,665 Did you least have experience guides or anything to take you through? 367 00:18:44,665 --> 00:18:46,458 I mean, I'm thinking piranhas. 368 00:18:46,458 --> 00:18:49,962 I'm thinking, you know, all sorts of things are going down these canoes. 369 00:18:49,962 --> 00:18:50,420 We did. 370 00:18:50,420 --> 00:18:53,423 We actually had to take, a tribal leader. 371 00:18:53,423 --> 00:18:57,010 Because you can't enter these tribal areas. 372 00:18:57,010 --> 00:18:58,595 They'll actually some of them will kill you. 373 00:18:58,595 --> 00:19:02,224 But, they operate with their own laws. 374 00:19:02,224 --> 00:19:04,351 It's, very different. They're not. 375 00:19:04,351 --> 00:19:07,354 They follow the Ecuadorian law, but they have their own tribal laws. 376 00:19:07,354 --> 00:19:10,774 So we literally had to ask for permission to enter, 377 00:19:10,774 --> 00:19:15,028 without the tribal leaders, we wouldn't have been able to get in. 378 00:19:15,028 --> 00:19:18,907 After the long drive when we arrived there was interesting 379 00:19:18,907 --> 00:19:23,579 because we had, meeting with the tribal chiefs, 380 00:19:23,579 --> 00:19:25,372 and we had to show the judge's order. 381 00:19:25,372 --> 00:19:28,125 We had to ask for permission. 382 00:19:28,125 --> 00:19:29,251 That took about a half hour. 383 00:19:29,251 --> 00:19:33,839 Is it interesting process that it was like a legal, hearing. 384 00:19:33,839 --> 00:19:36,175 Two questions from that. 385 00:19:36,175 --> 00:19:37,801 First of all, how did Ecuadorian National Police 386 00:19:37,801 --> 00:19:39,720 get the intelligence about the trafficking 387 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:41,763 and exploitation in this remote of an area? 388 00:19:41,763 --> 00:19:45,976 And secondly, did tribal leaders, even recognize the long arm of the law, 389 00:19:45,976 --> 00:19:49,980 recognize judicial authorities in Quito, the capital of Ecuador? 390 00:19:49,980 --> 00:19:52,566 Because I can imagine some areas they say, heck no, you're not coming in. 391 00:19:52,566 --> 00:19:55,235 Stay out. This isn't your area. We run this area. 392 00:19:55,235 --> 00:19:56,653 To answer your second question first. 393 00:19:56,653 --> 00:19:59,156 Yes. You definitely. They have their own laws. 394 00:19:59,156 --> 00:20:01,158 We have authority. 395 00:20:01,158 --> 00:20:03,702 They respect Ecuadorian law. 396 00:20:03,702 --> 00:20:05,287 But they have their own. 397 00:20:05,287 --> 00:20:07,873 But when it's something like this serious, they'll honor it. 398 00:20:07,873 --> 00:20:10,292 It was just a matter of showing the judge's order. 399 00:20:10,292 --> 00:20:11,627 And then they led us on. 400 00:20:11,627 --> 00:20:14,963 Unfortunately, by that time, the kids had been told to hide. 401 00:20:14,963 --> 00:20:18,717 It took us several hours to find them. 402 00:20:18,717 --> 00:20:22,179 What was the... what did you expect when you got there? 403 00:20:22,179 --> 00:20:25,390 What was the intelligence in terms of was this forced labor? 404 00:20:25,390 --> 00:20:27,601 Was this sexual exploitation? 405 00:20:27,601 --> 00:20:29,102 Who were the perpetrators? 406 00:20:29,102 --> 00:20:32,189 What kind of intelligence did you get from Ecuadorian National Police, or 407 00:20:32,189 --> 00:20:35,692 I should say, what intelligence did they get from this region? 408 00:20:35,692 --> 00:20:40,239 We rescued four children. 409 00:20:40,239 --> 00:20:42,741 The mother would be hit by her husband. 410 00:20:42,741 --> 00:20:46,078 and eventually she left him, the tribe kicked her out. 411 00:20:46,078 --> 00:20:48,247 And so she went to a different city. 412 00:20:48,247 --> 00:20:51,625 And that's where she did a police complaint. 413 00:20:51,625 --> 00:20:55,128 And, fortunately, it reached Quito, where I was able to, 414 00:20:55,128 --> 00:20:58,507 influence them to go, 415 00:21:00,884 --> 00:21:02,552 We went there, 416 00:21:02,552 --> 00:21:06,932 and once we got permission, it took us a while to get, 417 00:21:06,932 --> 00:21:09,643 to find the kids. 418 00:21:09,643 --> 00:21:11,103 The kids had been lied to. 419 00:21:11,103 --> 00:21:16,358 They told them that the mother left the father for a different husband. 420 00:21:16,358 --> 00:21:19,027 So when we found them, they didn't want to go with her. 421 00:21:19,027 --> 00:21:22,114 So that was, a problem. 422 00:21:22,114 --> 00:21:26,868 Fortunately, she was able to talk to them and, convince them to come, 423 00:21:26,868 --> 00:21:31,373 but it the whole process in the village took over two hours. 424 00:21:31,373 --> 00:21:34,293 To locate them and get them. 425 00:21:34,293 --> 00:21:37,212 And this is after you said the multiple hours in the canoe 426 00:21:37,212 --> 00:21:40,424 and all of that and the difficult to get everybody there. 427 00:21:40,424 --> 00:21:42,884 And again, without OUR Rescue funds, there quite 428 00:21:42,884 --> 00:21:45,012 simply would have been no way the Ecuadorian authorities 429 00:21:45,012 --> 00:21:46,805 would have had the funding to get to this area. 430 00:21:46,805 --> 00:21:48,056 Correct? 431 00:21:48,056 --> 00:21:49,308 Absolutely no way. 432 00:21:49,308 --> 00:21:53,312 They depend on us greatly for our 433 00:21:53,312 --> 00:21:57,441 for our resources, both training and financial. 434 00:21:57,899 --> 00:22:00,193 Yeah. When I got here, 435 00:22:00,193 --> 00:22:02,070 they didn't have any platforms, 436 00:22:02,070 --> 00:22:05,115 so we had to get them training on on the different platforms. 437 00:22:05,115 --> 00:22:08,368 And now their... our goal is to try to get them, 438 00:22:08,368 --> 00:22:12,539 self-sustained, you know, where they don't depend on us to work these cases. 439 00:22:12,539 --> 00:22:15,250 Was the father himself the one abusing the kids? 440 00:22:15,250 --> 00:22:17,753 Was he selling the kids around the village? 441 00:22:17,753 --> 00:22:21,798 How was he, exploiting them sexually? 442 00:22:21,798 --> 00:22:26,094 It's a very different culture with the indigenous tribes here. 443 00:22:26,094 --> 00:22:30,390 It's almost accepted that the father has sex with their children. 444 00:22:30,390 --> 00:22:36,104 So, the father and his two brothers were violating all four children. 445 00:22:36,104 --> 00:22:39,733 And you're talking a 14 year old daughter 446 00:22:39,733 --> 00:22:42,527 already had a baby with her father. 447 00:22:42,527 --> 00:22:45,947 And the baby is not even a year old. 448 00:22:45,947 --> 00:22:48,658 And the youngest sibling was, like, four years old. 449 00:22:48,658 --> 00:22:53,997 So, these kids have lived their entire lives with sexual abuse. 450 00:22:53,997 --> 00:22:58,710 How is survivor care handled in such a rural area, 451 00:22:58,710 --> 00:23:00,712 remote, even dangerous areas? 452 00:23:00,712 --> 00:23:04,549 Especially when, as you just said, the father and tribal leaders 453 00:23:04,549 --> 00:23:10,013 were absolutely involved, aware of this, likely protecting it. 454 00:23:10,013 --> 00:23:13,141 Talk about the survivor care in this case for those four 455 00:23:13,141 --> 00:23:16,520 and how you and your region try to get the survivor care 456 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:21,274 even into the most remote, desolate and dangerous areas. 457 00:23:21,274 --> 00:23:24,236 We traveled first in a big group. 458 00:23:24,236 --> 00:23:29,616 We took a lot of the Swat team members, because we anticipated a problem. 459 00:23:29,616 --> 00:23:32,160 Like we were out there in the middle of nowhere. 460 00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:33,328 If they turned on us. 461 00:23:33,328 --> 00:23:36,498 There's nothing you could do. You either get back in the canoe or run or, you know, 462 00:23:36,498 --> 00:23:37,040 you fight. 463 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:39,709 Luckily, that didn't happen, but we went prepared 464 00:23:39,709 --> 00:23:41,837 with a lot of armed officers. 465 00:23:41,837 --> 00:23:43,338 We also took our survivor care 466 00:23:43,338 --> 00:23:46,842 so they could take the softer approach with the survivors. 467 00:23:46,842 --> 00:23:48,427 Joselyn did a great job. 468 00:23:48,427 --> 00:23:51,430 It wasn't an easy operation. 469 00:23:51,430 --> 00:23:52,806 I'm old. 470 00:23:52,806 --> 00:23:54,599 So my back was killing me in the canoe, right? 471 00:23:54,599 --> 00:23:59,354 I can't. Even imagine. 472 00:23:59,354 --> 00:24:02,607 Joselyn had arranged for, 473 00:24:02,607 --> 00:24:07,070 a shelter in Macas, which is the city where we went to out of base. 474 00:24:07,070 --> 00:24:09,990 And the kids were able to go straight into the shelter. 475 00:24:09,990 --> 00:24:13,910 We seeked, medical care for them and 476 00:24:13,910 --> 00:24:18,081 she supported them with psychological care and continues to do so. 477 00:24:18,081 --> 00:24:19,624 This was only... 478 00:24:19,624 --> 00:24:21,293 I don't think it was even two months ago. 479 00:24:21,293 --> 00:24:24,754 It's amazing what you were able to do in this case to get survivor 480 00:24:24,754 --> 00:24:28,800 care deployed and effective in such a remote area. 481 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:32,512 But I understand that the operation in the good that you did didn't stop there. 482 00:24:32,512 --> 00:24:33,305 Correct? 483 00:24:33,305 --> 00:24:38,477 Correct, I wanted to take advantage of being in such a remote area. 484 00:24:38,477 --> 00:24:43,231 And when we were in Macas, Ecuador, we looked at police reports 485 00:24:43,231 --> 00:24:47,402 that were pending and we found one where it involved, 486 00:24:47,402 --> 00:24:50,280 a father who locked up their 487 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:57,037 his three children in a 10x10 wooden room outdoors. 488 00:24:57,037 --> 00:24:59,873 It's a hot area. They didn’t have air conditioning. 489 00:24:59,873 --> 00:25:03,126 These poor children, were not allowed to get out. 490 00:25:03,126 --> 00:25:04,294 They were treated worse than dogs. 491 00:25:04,294 --> 00:25:06,505 Dogs, or at least walked. 492 00:25:06,505 --> 00:25:09,633 These kids, were fed through the crack of the door 493 00:25:09,633 --> 00:25:11,843 that he would pass food to them. 494 00:25:11,843 --> 00:25:14,846 And for six months, they were locked in that room. 495 00:25:14,846 --> 00:25:17,724 We were able to, rescue them as well. 496 00:25:17,724 --> 00:25:21,561 So if we had not acted, 497 00:25:21,561 --> 00:25:23,355 there would have been nine children. 498 00:25:23,355 --> 00:25:26,191 They would never have been rescued. 499 00:25:26,191 --> 00:25:27,901 I mean, the things that humans do to 500 00:25:27,901 --> 00:25:31,071 other humans, it's just utterly disgusting. 501 00:25:31,071 --> 00:25:34,658 And the fact that you were able to do this, 502 00:25:34,658 --> 00:25:36,409 you know, there are amazing groups out there 503 00:25:36,409 --> 00:25:39,871 fighting human trafficking, child exploitation, and we partner with them. 504 00:25:39,871 --> 00:25:41,164 We support them. 505 00:25:41,164 --> 00:25:44,668 I really think that one of the things OUR Rescue does again, 506 00:25:44,668 --> 00:25:49,673 is supporting law enforcement to help them go look for people for whom 507 00:25:49,673 --> 00:25:52,676 no one is looking. And there's no doubt that 508 00:25:52,676 --> 00:25:56,304 these kids you're talking about fall in that category. 509 00:25:57,222 --> 00:25:59,975 Yes, you see, the worst of humanity. 510 00:25:59,975 --> 00:26:03,853 But if you focus on the rescue, it makes it really fulfilling this job. 511 00:26:03,853 --> 00:26:05,272 That's what we always talk about, isn't it? 512 00:26:05,272 --> 00:26:06,439 How amazing it is. 513 00:26:06,439 --> 00:26:09,317 The real heroes in this obviously the survivors. 514 00:26:09,317 --> 00:26:11,444 But when you look at the law enforcement side, 515 00:26:11,444 --> 00:26:14,656 those who are not making much money, certainly by U.S. 516 00:26:14,656 --> 00:26:17,951 and Western standards, who are obviously getting a lot of temptation 517 00:26:17,951 --> 00:26:23,248 from the cartels and organized crime to, you know, to to turn and to support them. 518 00:26:23,248 --> 00:26:26,293 The fact that these law enforcement officers, men and women on the ground 519 00:26:26,293 --> 00:26:30,255 would, do all they can to rescue children, to rescue adults, 520 00:26:30,255 --> 00:26:31,256 to fight trafficking. 521 00:26:31,256 --> 00:26:34,134 And, as you said, the worst of humanity you see on the trafficking side. 522 00:26:34,134 --> 00:26:36,720 But it is really a breath of fresh air, I imagine, to work 523 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:40,515 with great individuals in Ecuador and all of those countries you just named. 524 00:26:41,391 --> 00:26:46,563 Yes. My experience with law enforcement in the region is excellent. 525 00:26:46,563 --> 00:26:48,690 They all want to do their jobs. 526 00:26:48,690 --> 00:26:50,817 They all want to rescue. 527 00:26:50,817 --> 00:26:53,320 They just don't have the resources to do it. 528 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:56,489 They literally will sometimes ask me for fuel, 529 00:26:56,489 --> 00:26:59,034 for money, for fuel, because they can't even do surveillance. 530 00:26:59,034 --> 00:27:01,578 It's that bad in some of these areas. 531 00:27:01,578 --> 00:27:04,122 And that's why oftentimes with this Voices for Freedom podcast, 532 00:27:04,122 --> 00:27:08,668 we do put out a call to action to go to ourescue.org and donate. 533 00:27:08,668 --> 00:27:12,339 And you might not think $5 a month makes a difference, $25 a month. 534 00:27:12,339 --> 00:27:13,048 How much? 535 00:27:13,048 --> 00:27:17,010 Honestly, I would just put in some gas in a motorcycle of a cop and allow him 536 00:27:17,010 --> 00:27:19,971 or her to go different places to actually work these cases. 537 00:27:19,971 --> 00:27:22,474 We're not talking a lot of money, are we? 538 00:27:22,474 --> 00:27:24,017 No, we're not on this trip. 539 00:27:24,017 --> 00:27:27,687 We spent less than $2,000 and we rescued nine children. 540 00:27:27,687 --> 00:27:28,396 Absolutely. 541 00:27:28,396 --> 00:27:31,608 And think about how many people paying the $5 a month, $25 a month. 542 00:27:31,608 --> 00:27:36,029 So, we do have a little bit of time in this segment. 543 00:27:36,029 --> 00:27:40,408 Let's turn real quick for a wider problem that you're seeing in terms 544 00:27:40,408 --> 00:27:42,827 of trafficking trends in your region, 545 00:27:42,827 --> 00:27:46,039 run by gangs, criminal gangs entrenched in 546 00:27:46,039 --> 00:27:49,959 society in Latin America, obviously a lot coming up into the United States as well. 547 00:27:49,959 --> 00:27:51,002 Maybe take a few minutes 548 00:27:51,002 --> 00:27:54,714 and talk to us about the fight your team is taking to the gangs. 549 00:27:54,714 --> 00:27:58,426 Always, again, behind supporting law enforcement, but what are you seeing down there 550 00:27:58,426 --> 00:28:03,556 in terms of gang involvement in child sexual exploitation and human trafficking? 551 00:28:04,140 --> 00:28:08,520 I think that organized crimes or these gangs are discovering 552 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:11,815 that there's a lot of money to be made in human trafficking, 553 00:28:11,815 --> 00:28:14,150 so they're expanding from narcotics, 554 00:28:14,150 --> 00:28:19,823 and they're really entrenched now in, human trafficking. 555 00:28:19,823 --> 00:28:22,909 One big example is a Venezuelan 556 00:28:22,909 --> 00:28:25,912 based gang called Tren de Aragua. 557 00:28:25,912 --> 00:28:28,832 It began maybe in 2010, 558 00:28:28,832 --> 00:28:32,377 in the jail in Aragua, Venezuela. 559 00:28:32,377 --> 00:28:33,628 They've expanded. 560 00:28:33,628 --> 00:28:37,882 They have presence probably in every country in South America. 561 00:28:37,882 --> 00:28:40,802 and they've even recently been found to be in the U.S.. 562 00:28:40,802 --> 00:28:43,888 I think they've, murdered a police officer recently. 563 00:28:43,888 --> 00:28:46,266 Yeah, that’s been in the news to. 564 00:28:46,266 --> 00:28:49,310 Yeah, they have expanded greatly. 565 00:28:49,310 --> 00:28:53,106 These people are bad people. 566 00:28:53,106 --> 00:28:56,693 They are.. it’s... 567 00:28:56,693 --> 00:29:00,697 it's terrible the way they treat the girls. 568 00:29:00,697 --> 00:29:02,157 They beat them. 569 00:29:02,157 --> 00:29:04,367 We've seen them dismembered. 570 00:29:04,367 --> 00:29:09,205 We've seen gravesites where they dug up several victims. 571 00:29:09,205 --> 00:29:11,332 They rape them. 572 00:29:11,332 --> 00:29:15,295 They lock them up in rooms and don't let them out. 573 00:29:15,295 --> 00:29:18,047 It's a bad, trend. 574 00:29:18,047 --> 00:29:19,966 You know, think back to your early government career. 575 00:29:19,966 --> 00:29:22,302 And again, when I was with the CIA, U.S. Department of State, 576 00:29:22,302 --> 00:29:25,597 working closely with the Drug Enforcement Administration in Mexico, 577 00:29:25,597 --> 00:29:28,016 there used to be honor among thieves in a little way, 578 00:29:28,016 --> 00:29:30,393 you know, to say somewhere the drug cartels and others 579 00:29:30,393 --> 00:29:32,771 would just focus on getting their product to the north, 580 00:29:32,771 --> 00:29:34,898 and they'd want to get their guns coming from the U.S. 581 00:29:34,898 --> 00:29:36,357 and money coming from the U.S. 582 00:29:36,357 --> 00:29:39,319 they wouldn't really traffick, human beings, maybe adults, 583 00:29:39,319 --> 00:29:40,528 but certainly not children. 584 00:29:40,528 --> 00:29:44,365 That really has changed, hasn't it, with these smaller gangs 585 00:29:44,365 --> 00:29:48,161 who would then become powerful, like El Tren de Aragua, the are all that you're mentioning? 586 00:29:48,161 --> 00:29:51,414 Are you seeing that more and more that these gangs realize and again, 587 00:29:51,414 --> 00:29:55,418 as you just said, how lucrative this is when you sell a human being 588 00:29:55,418 --> 00:29:59,047 over and over again, and unfortunately now, it is absolutely spread 589 00:29:59,047 --> 00:30:02,884 to almost every criminal organization, I would say in Latin America. 590 00:30:03,635 --> 00:30:04,803 Yes. and 591 00:30:04,803 --> 00:30:09,140 there's Ecuadorian gangs, there's Los Choneros, 592 00:30:09,140 --> 00:30:12,602 they have a very big presence in Peru as well as Tren de Aragua. 593 00:30:12,602 --> 00:30:16,564 They controlled several sections of the city of Lima. 594 00:30:16,564 --> 00:30:19,067 And it's all human trafficking. 595 00:30:19,067 --> 00:30:22,737 They're forcing on the southern border of Ecuador to Peru, 596 00:30:22,737 --> 00:30:27,367 girls on a daily basis, are funneling up to Peru. 597 00:30:27,367 --> 00:30:30,745 Well, I hope you team and you stay safe for sure, 598 00:30:30,745 --> 00:30:32,580 because these gangs and they've got the money 599 00:30:32,580 --> 00:30:35,708 now that they're bringing in and it's easy to buy off 600 00:30:35,708 --> 00:30:39,963 and corrupt local, state, even federal law enforcement of these countries. 601 00:30:39,963 --> 00:30:42,632 What steps do you take with your OUR Rescue team 602 00:30:42,632 --> 00:30:45,093 to make sure that they don't walk in any of these traps 603 00:30:45,093 --> 00:30:48,555 when they are supporting law enforcement on some of these operations. 604 00:30:48,555 --> 00:30:53,226 Even the police are outarmed. 605 00:30:53,226 --> 00:30:55,562 These gangs are very heavily armed. 606 00:30:55,562 --> 00:30:58,356 Outgunned and out manned. 607 00:30:58,356 --> 00:31:02,777 Yeah, they do a lot of, crimes, not only human trafficking, but, 608 00:31:02,777 --> 00:31:06,948 extortion and, sequester people that kidnap people. 609 00:31:06,948 --> 00:31:09,909 so it's a dangerous fight for the police. 610 00:31:09,909 --> 00:31:10,785 I feel for them. 611 00:31:10,785 --> 00:31:15,790 They have a really big problem on their hands. When we approach an operation, 612 00:31:15,790 --> 00:31:18,251 we have no law enforcement authorization. 613 00:31:18,251 --> 00:31:19,836 We are there to support. 614 00:31:19,836 --> 00:31:22,881 We basically sit back and watch them enter. 615 00:31:22,881 --> 00:31:27,343 And once they cleared it, then we go ahead and go in and try to help out. 616 00:31:28,261 --> 00:31:32,807 Well, again, just with the geographical size 617 00:31:32,807 --> 00:31:37,061 of your region and all the countries, but they are interested in our support. 618 00:31:37,061 --> 00:31:39,606 They know we come in and we provide the funding, training, 619 00:31:39,606 --> 00:31:41,691 tools, technology behind the scenes. 620 00:31:41,691 --> 00:31:43,484 We're going to pivot now for the final segment. 621 00:31:43,484 --> 00:31:46,946 Talk a little bit about your future for the organization in Latin America. 622 00:31:46,946 --> 00:31:47,405 What you're doing. 623 00:31:47,405 --> 00:31:51,409 But anything you want to tie up on any of those cases on the Amazon or the gangs. 624 00:31:51,409 --> 00:31:53,286 Thank you for sharing that much detail. 625 00:31:53,286 --> 00:31:55,455 To really take our audience behind the scenes, 626 00:31:55,455 --> 00:31:59,167 to just see how difficult and dangerous these operations are, 627 00:31:59,167 --> 00:32:02,879 but how absolutely vital they are to go and find these individuals 628 00:32:02,879 --> 00:32:05,882 who have unfortunately just fallen off the radar. 629 00:32:05,882 --> 00:32:09,761 I think it is very important for people to know 630 00:32:09,761 --> 00:32:14,390 that these countries depend on our support, these investigations. 631 00:32:14,390 --> 00:32:15,642 I can't say enough. 632 00:32:15,642 --> 00:32:19,187 They would not be done without OUR's support. 633 00:32:19,187 --> 00:32:20,438 Absolutely not. 634 00:32:20,438 --> 00:32:22,482 The police love us. 635 00:32:22,482 --> 00:32:28,237 They call me almost on a daily basis to coordinate cases. We're involved hand and hand. 636 00:32:28,237 --> 00:32:31,658 We help them plan operations. 637 00:32:31,658 --> 00:32:34,744 And it's a really good working relationship. 638 00:32:34,744 --> 00:32:36,663 Yeah, I've seen it firsthand. 639 00:32:36,663 --> 00:32:37,872 It is incredible. 640 00:32:37,872 --> 00:32:40,291 Albert, I know it's getting late there, but hopefully you can stay with us. 641 00:32:40,291 --> 00:32:42,001 One more segment, right? 642 00:32:42,001 --> 00:32:44,128 Alright. Don't go anywhere. 643 00:32:44,128 --> 00:32:45,797 And you please don't go anywhere either. 644 00:32:45,797 --> 00:32:47,590 You were listening to Voices for Freedom 645 00:32:47,590 --> 00:32:51,552 an Anti-Trafficking Podcast brought to you by OUR Rescue. 646 00:32:51,552 --> 00:32:52,637 We'll be right back. 647 00:32:53,179 --> 00:32:54,722 I want to thank today's sponsor, 648 00:32:54,722 --> 00:32:58,559 the OUR Rescue Store, for supporting this podcast. 649 00:32:58,559 --> 00:33:02,146 Did you know the OUR Rescue store features survivor-made items? 650 00:33:02,146 --> 00:33:05,441 In this critical fight, they serve as symbols of hope. 651 00:33:05,441 --> 00:33:09,070 By choosing to purchase one of these beautifully handcrafted items, 652 00:33:09,070 --> 00:33:11,531 you'll impact the healing journey of survivors 653 00:33:11,531 --> 00:33:14,909 and help them reclaim their lives in the process. 654 00:33:14,909 --> 00:33:20,790 We encourage you to shop survivor made items on the OUR Rescue store website. 655 00:33:20,790 --> 00:33:25,294 It might only be a few dollars to you, but it makes a world of difference to them. 656 00:33:25,294 --> 00:33:27,964 And in case you need any extra motivation, 657 00:33:27,964 --> 00:33:31,592 use promo code Voices10 for 10% off 658 00:33:31,592 --> 00:33:35,388 your purchase at store.ourrescue.org. 659 00:33:35,388 --> 00:33:39,934 That's Voices10 at store.ourrescue.org. 660 00:33:41,519 --> 00:33:44,731 Welcome back to Voices for Freedom, an Anti-Trafficking Podcast 661 00:33:44,731 --> 00:33:46,441 brought to you by OUR Rescue. 662 00:33:46,441 --> 00:33:51,779 I'm Matt Osborne, OUR Rescue’s Global Ambassador for Operations and Education. 663 00:33:51,779 --> 00:33:57,285 And we have been talking to our Regional Director for Operations in Latin America. 664 00:33:57,285 --> 00:34:01,164 Albert de la Huerta, many years with the United States government, 665 00:34:01,164 --> 00:34:06,127 law enforcement at various levels and now heading up our operational support. 666 00:34:06,127 --> 00:34:08,463 Let's go back down to Ecuador. 667 00:34:08,463 --> 00:34:12,508 We appreciate Albert staying up with us late here. In the last segment, 668 00:34:12,508 --> 00:34:13,384 again, the detail 669 00:34:13,384 --> 00:34:19,015 you shared about the operational support we provided in the Amazon region, 670 00:34:19,015 --> 00:34:22,727 rescuing nine kids for whom no one was looking, then talking about the gangs. 671 00:34:22,727 --> 00:34:26,564 Let's use this last segment to talk about the future, the transition, 672 00:34:26,564 --> 00:34:28,941 the new, OUR Rescue, where it's so much more, 673 00:34:28,941 --> 00:34:31,819 you know, the behind the scenes, as I mentioned earlier, funding, training, 674 00:34:31,819 --> 00:34:36,824 tools, technology, our canine program, online cyber, digital forensics, 675 00:34:36,824 --> 00:34:40,870 really stepping up the battle against child exploitation, human trafficking. 676 00:34:40,870 --> 00:34:46,000 But we will continue from time to time to do these hands on operational support 677 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:50,338 or provide the hands on operational support to law enforcement when they request it. 678 00:34:50,338 --> 00:34:53,674 So, Albert, talk to us about your vision for the region. 679 00:34:53,674 --> 00:34:57,136 Now, as you fully take the reins in Latin America, 680 00:34:57,136 --> 00:35:02,433 as you think about what our donors can help you and your teams accomplish 681 00:35:02,433 --> 00:35:06,229 as we look to doing all we can to be this force multiplier 682 00:35:06,229 --> 00:35:09,107 to do exactly what law enforcement wants, 683 00:35:09,107 --> 00:35:12,235 provided they're doing the right things to focus on the rescue, 684 00:35:12,235 --> 00:35:16,030 the arrest, the survivor care, the education, the outreach, 685 00:35:16,030 --> 00:35:20,034 which I know you and I have talked about, you think is a big topic as well. 686 00:35:21,077 --> 00:35:23,996 This region is a very poor region. 687 00:35:23,996 --> 00:35:27,208 it's not from a lack of wanting. 688 00:35:27,208 --> 00:35:31,921 These officers all are excellent, and they really want to help. 689 00:35:31,921 --> 00:35:34,257 They just don't have the resources. 690 00:35:34,257 --> 00:35:37,343 So we have to focus on training. 691 00:35:37,343 --> 00:35:41,305 First of all, they need to know how to work 692 00:35:41,305 --> 00:35:44,267 child sexual abuse material, cases. 693 00:35:44,267 --> 00:35:45,601 We need to get them access 694 00:35:45,601 --> 00:35:50,398 to the different platforms that are used by law enforcement. 695 00:35:50,398 --> 00:35:52,525 I mean, just today I visited 696 00:35:52,525 --> 00:35:56,279 the Cyber Crimes Unit for the Ecuadorian National Police. 697 00:35:56,279 --> 00:35:58,656 And you're talking - they're the Cyber Crimes Unit. 698 00:35:58,656 --> 00:36:01,617 You would think they would have the best computers. 699 00:36:01,617 --> 00:36:05,288 Their computers are literally 15 years old. 700 00:36:05,288 --> 00:36:08,583 It's a really bad situation 701 00:36:08,583 --> 00:36:11,669 You can't run these platforms off those old computers. 702 00:36:11,669 --> 00:36:17,592 So there's a very big need for funding, new purchase of equipment. 703 00:36:17,592 --> 00:36:21,846 We wouldn't get them cars, but the cars 704 00:36:21,846 --> 00:36:24,724 they drove in one of the operations, where I got in the car, it was a 705 00:36:24,724 --> 00:36:30,021 like a 1990 Nissan Sentra with over 300,000 miles on it. 706 00:36:30,021 --> 00:36:33,858 They have really old cars, really old equipment. 707 00:36:33,858 --> 00:36:38,779 The officers purchase their own ammo. 708 00:36:38,779 --> 00:36:41,157 They have to pay out of their own pocket. 709 00:36:41,157 --> 00:36:42,742 So it'd be like an FBI agent. 710 00:36:42,742 --> 00:36:45,953 The equivalent of an FBI special agent having to pay for his or her own ammo 711 00:36:45,953 --> 00:36:46,996 out of their own pocket. 712 00:36:46,996 --> 00:36:49,415 Correct, so they never even qualify. 713 00:36:49,415 --> 00:36:51,751 They don't train because that's coming out of pocket 714 00:36:51,751 --> 00:36:54,003 for them to buy their own rounds for training. 715 00:36:54,003 --> 00:36:58,090 It's that level of, need, 716 00:36:58,090 --> 00:37:01,594 And second, we need, 717 00:37:01,594 --> 00:37:07,642 we need to continue support financially for these operations. 718 00:37:07,642 --> 00:37:11,395 90% of these operations are in remote areas. 719 00:37:11,395 --> 00:37:13,689 They're in, islands. 720 00:37:13,689 --> 00:37:14,941 They're in the Amazon. 721 00:37:14,941 --> 00:37:17,985 They're in you know, you're talking about Peru. 722 00:37:17,985 --> 00:37:20,029 The Amazon crosses many of these countries. 723 00:37:20,029 --> 00:37:24,867 So it requires a lot of resources to be able to go in there. 724 00:37:24,867 --> 00:37:27,286 I haven't even talked about the northern, 725 00:37:27,286 --> 00:37:29,914 border with, Colombia. 726 00:37:29,914 --> 00:37:31,999 That's all controlled by FARC. 727 00:37:31,999 --> 00:37:35,878 So they're outgunned and they have a big issue, 728 00:37:35,878 --> 00:37:39,131 and they need our support 100%. 729 00:37:39,131 --> 00:37:41,467 You talk about training, and that's such a big thing 730 00:37:41,467 --> 00:37:43,844 that we try to facilitate through training. 731 00:37:43,844 --> 00:37:46,514 What types of training is most of need? 732 00:37:46,514 --> 00:37:50,059 And when you think about prices and this can just be ballpark, but 733 00:37:50,059 --> 00:37:53,854 because again, if we are able to raise $5,000, $10,000 734 00:37:53,854 --> 00:37:56,941 or maybe even a little bit more, what type of training could we provide? 735 00:37:56,941 --> 00:38:00,152 Not only in Ecuador but in other countries in your region? 736 00:38:00,152 --> 00:38:00,861 And what do you think 737 00:38:00,861 --> 00:38:04,282 they would be able to do with that in the near and medium term? 738 00:38:04,282 --> 00:38:05,616 They need everything. 739 00:38:05,616 --> 00:38:10,329 I am asked on a daily basis for NCMEC training, 740 00:38:10,329 --> 00:38:12,081 the National Children... 741 00:38:12,081 --> 00:38:14,875 National Center for Missing Exploited Children . 742 00:38:14,875 --> 00:38:16,585 NCMEC thats right. 743 00:38:16,585 --> 00:38:22,133 They ask for child protective system, which is a platform for CSAM cases. 744 00:38:22,133 --> 00:38:26,470 They ask for training on how to handle, victims. 745 00:38:26,470 --> 00:38:30,391 They need training and everything tactical. 746 00:38:30,391 --> 00:38:33,769 I mean, all of their lack of tactics, like, 747 00:38:33,769 --> 00:38:36,897 they don't control their environment well. 748 00:38:36,897 --> 00:38:38,816 It's a dangerous environment. 749 00:38:38,816 --> 00:38:43,195 And they and they really need to be taught better tactics is going to be, 750 00:38:43,195 --> 00:38:47,283 dangerous situation for them, especially when dealing with gangs. 751 00:38:47,283 --> 00:38:52,204 And not only on equipment and digital side, 752 00:38:52,204 --> 00:38:54,874 they also need training with survivor care. 753 00:38:54,874 --> 00:38:57,084 They also need help with shelters. 754 00:38:57,084 --> 00:39:00,004 Their shelters are very bare. 755 00:39:00,004 --> 00:39:02,298 They provide the bare minimum, 756 00:39:02,298 --> 00:39:04,675 thank God for survivor care. 757 00:39:04,675 --> 00:39:07,720 They provide a lot of assistance to these shelters. 758 00:39:08,054 --> 00:39:13,017 They buy women's products that they don't have money for. 759 00:39:13,017 --> 00:39:17,021 They buy very basic things that don't cost a lot of money, 760 00:39:17,021 --> 00:39:22,735 but go a long way with helping these women's shelters. 761 00:39:22,777 --> 00:39:23,861 I mean, you can start. 762 00:39:23,861 --> 00:39:26,030 They need money for everything, basically. 763 00:39:26,030 --> 00:39:29,825 You know, sometimes we have our operational, 764 00:39:29,825 --> 00:39:33,204 you know, operations directors and others come on this show. 765 00:39:33,204 --> 00:39:35,373 Those are who are at the forefront of this fight, 766 00:39:35,373 --> 00:39:39,543 who are in this dark kind of deep world. 767 00:39:39,543 --> 00:39:41,879 I mean, you had to go to that town in the Amazon. 768 00:39:41,879 --> 00:39:43,881 I'm sure that still haunts you in a lot of ways, 769 00:39:43,881 --> 00:39:45,341 thinking about those kids 770 00:39:45,341 --> 00:39:49,929 being abused by the father and uncle and, you know, other tribal leaders, 771 00:39:49,929 --> 00:39:54,183 the other kids in the shack where they're being fed through the wall. 772 00:39:54,183 --> 00:39:56,018 What is it that keeps you going? 773 00:39:56,018 --> 00:40:00,314 What is your why, as we always say, for leading out here at OUR Rescue? 774 00:40:00,314 --> 00:40:04,276 Whether is that what you learned in the government to now to our nonprofit. 775 00:40:04,276 --> 00:40:07,363 Because again, some people would just go into a fetal position and say, 776 00:40:07,363 --> 00:40:10,616 I can't deal with the worst of humanity, as you mention. 777 00:40:10,616 --> 00:40:13,994 What is it, Albert, that keeps you going every single day? 778 00:40:13,994 --> 00:40:17,581 I have never been more fulfilled in my life, 779 00:40:17,581 --> 00:40:20,918 including my 30 years in law enforcement. 780 00:40:20,918 --> 00:40:25,256 When you're in law enforcement, especially doing narcotics investigations, 781 00:40:25,256 --> 00:40:28,217 you can see tons and tons of cocaine, but it never stops. 782 00:40:28,217 --> 00:40:30,719 Like you have zero effect 783 00:40:30,719 --> 00:40:35,891 and with OUR I’m able to see what my work results in. 784 00:40:35,891 --> 00:40:37,685 I see the faces of the survivors. 785 00:40:37,685 --> 00:40:40,104 I see the smiles and the children. 786 00:40:40,104 --> 00:40:42,356 it's a beautiful thing. 787 00:40:42,356 --> 00:40:45,860 I mean, I, like I said before, I see the worst in humanity, but I choose 788 00:40:45,860 --> 00:40:51,907 to focus on the beauty of the rescues and how we help every day. 789 00:40:51,907 --> 00:40:53,784 So what's next for your team and you? 790 00:40:53,784 --> 00:40:55,995 Obviously we don't want specific countries, regions, 791 00:40:55,995 --> 00:40:57,079 anything that would give it away. 792 00:40:57,079 --> 00:40:59,957 Tell us in general terms what kind of operational support 793 00:40:59,957 --> 00:41:04,044 you imagine will be providing and let's say the next week or two. 794 00:41:04,044 --> 00:41:06,255 Well, there's several cases. 795 00:41:06,255 --> 00:41:09,925 there's one involving a pediatrician 796 00:41:09,925 --> 00:41:12,344 who's, violating children. 797 00:41:12,344 --> 00:41:15,639 So imagine he must be seeing ten children a day, at least. 798 00:41:15,639 --> 00:41:19,310 Imagine the amount of victims that are there 799 00:41:19,310 --> 00:41:22,271 and we have to stop him because of his position. 800 00:41:22,271 --> 00:41:24,982 So that's going to be the next operation we work on. 801 00:41:24,982 --> 00:41:30,362 Well, that's absolutely vital to get that type of predator off the streets. 802 00:41:30,362 --> 00:41:34,200 I mean, those who would prey on kids, who go where the kids are, 803 00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:37,328 we see too many times in schools and in churches. 804 00:41:37,328 --> 00:41:41,415 Youth leaders is pediatrician, as we talked about in an earlier segment 805 00:41:41,415 --> 00:41:45,377 on this show, those Dutch pedophiles who went to a town 806 00:41:45,377 --> 00:41:49,048 that had a lot of vulnerable children to exploit them. 807 00:41:49,048 --> 00:41:51,800 I wish your team well for sure on that. 808 00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:53,093 And then, 809 00:41:53,093 --> 00:41:56,889 is there anything else on the radar or any particular initiative 810 00:41:56,889 --> 00:42:00,809 that you're you're thinking about here is the is that we start to get to summer 811 00:42:00,809 --> 00:42:04,563 because tourist season, you have a lot of great tourist spots 812 00:42:04,563 --> 00:42:08,192 in your countries where Westerners go, Americans, and others. 813 00:42:08,192 --> 00:42:12,029 And as you know, it's just this small percentage of men who would do it. 814 00:42:12,029 --> 00:42:14,740 But when you bring a lot of men and men with means, 815 00:42:14,740 --> 00:42:16,242 there's going to be exploitation. 816 00:42:16,242 --> 00:42:20,037 And so I imagine that our law enforcement partners down there are gearing up 817 00:42:20,037 --> 00:42:21,747 for the summer tourist season. 818 00:42:21,747 --> 00:42:22,665 Not in a good way. 819 00:42:22,665 --> 00:42:23,874 Hey, we love having tourists here, 820 00:42:23,874 --> 00:42:28,045 but we imagine there's going to be a lot more sexual exploitation. 821 00:42:28,045 --> 00:42:29,630 Yes, definitely. 822 00:42:29,630 --> 00:42:34,051 There are a lot of, tourist locations, especially in Ecuador. 823 00:42:34,051 --> 00:42:38,847 And child sex tourism is rabid. 824 00:42:38,847 --> 00:42:41,183 they force a lot of young girls 825 00:42:41,183 --> 00:42:44,520 to service the crew on several ships. 826 00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:50,192 There's a lot of the ship movement from Ecuador and, a lot of, 827 00:42:50,192 --> 00:42:54,572 U.S. citizens and other countries, citizens that come here just for child sex extortion. 828 00:42:54,572 --> 00:42:59,243 Maybe give you the final word, Albert, if what would you say to those listening 829 00:42:59,243 --> 00:43:03,872 and watching now who might say, well, think to themselves, you know, they think, 830 00:43:03,872 --> 00:43:06,834 why would I donate to OUR Rescue, not any of these other organizations. 831 00:43:06,834 --> 00:43:10,629 What is it about our organization that you think can give people confidence 832 00:43:10,629 --> 00:43:13,465 that their donations will be going directly to this fight, 833 00:43:13,465 --> 00:43:16,302 empowering the men and women on the front lines? 834 00:43:16,302 --> 00:43:17,052 in your region? 835 00:43:17,052 --> 00:43:20,055 Let's just say, since we have you on on the show did today. 836 00:43:20,848 --> 00:43:23,517 I think these countries, 837 00:43:23,517 --> 00:43:25,936 even $100 makes a difference. 838 00:43:25,936 --> 00:43:28,355 Like I said, I pay for fuel. It's $50. 839 00:43:28,355 --> 00:43:32,151 And it's like giving them an opportunity to work surveillance on these cases. 840 00:43:32,151 --> 00:43:35,863 Like you literally don't need a lot of money to help 841 00:43:35,863 --> 00:43:38,866 and make these, child exploitation cases go. 842 00:43:39,658 --> 00:43:42,036 Yeah, I love it. And $100, right? 843 00:43:42,036 --> 00:43:46,749 Or 20 people give him $5, or you give $5 a month, $25 a month. 844 00:43:46,749 --> 00:43:48,876 This Voices for Freedom podcast, 845 00:43:48,876 --> 00:43:50,753 obviously, it's not a fundraiser. 846 00:43:50,753 --> 00:43:52,463 It's for mission awareness and education. 847 00:43:52,463 --> 00:43:54,548 But it's so important to know why we do this 848 00:43:54,548 --> 00:43:57,801 and why we direct people to ourrescue.org. 849 00:43:57,801 --> 00:43:59,595 Albert. We thank you, sir. 850 00:43:59,595 --> 00:44:01,055 We are praying for you. 851 00:44:01,055 --> 00:44:05,392 We wishing success to your team and you. Please keep up the good work 852 00:44:05,392 --> 00:44:08,604 and we will keep our fingers crossed that this pediatrician 853 00:44:08,604 --> 00:44:12,358 will go down, be arrested, that there will be, able to be find, 854 00:44:12,358 --> 00:44:16,570 you know, to able to find the kids who he was exploiting and his exploiting. 855 00:44:16,570 --> 00:44:19,406 And just know that you do have so many people here and around the world 856 00:44:19,406 --> 00:44:20,407 supporting your team. 857 00:44:20,407 --> 00:44:21,200 So thank you, sir. 858 00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:24,203 We are just so grateful for all you do every single day. 859 00:44:24,203 --> 00:44:26,580 Thank you Matt, I really appreciate it was great. 860 00:44:26,580 --> 00:44:27,665 Thank you very much. 861 00:44:27,665 --> 00:44:31,293 And mostly thank you for watching and supporting OUR Rescue. 862 00:44:31,293 --> 00:44:36,715 Thank you for, viewing and listening to this episode of Voices for Freedom. 863 00:44:36,715 --> 00:44:38,759 We need you to like this podcast. 864 00:44:38,759 --> 00:44:42,262 We need you to click, like, we need you to share, to support, 865 00:44:42,262 --> 00:44:45,391 to get this out to as many people as possible. 866 00:44:45,391 --> 00:44:50,270 Each week, we interview experts, both from our team and other organizations. 867 00:44:50,270 --> 00:44:53,273 It's kind of unheard of that one nonprofit in the anti-human 868 00:44:53,273 --> 00:44:56,318 trafficking space would prop up another would support another. 869 00:44:56,318 --> 00:44:57,486 That's what we do. 870 00:44:57,486 --> 00:45:00,239 Thank you so much for watching Voices for Freedom. 871 00:45:00,239 --> 00:45:04,493 Join us next week for another episode. We'll see you then. 872 00:45:04,743 --> 00:45:05,786 Thanks for listening. 873 00:45:05,786 --> 00:45:07,287 Did you enjoy this episode? 874 00:45:07,287 --> 00:45:11,667 If so, please leave us a review and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. 875 00:45:12,042 --> 00:45:16,171 If you have ideas for future episodes, email us at 876 00:45:16,171 --> 00:45:19,174 voicesforfreedom@ourrescue.org. 877 00:45:19,383 --> 00:45:22,386 Lastly, we encourage you to join the fight. 878 00:45:22,386 --> 00:45:26,515 Make a difference today by donating at ourrescue.org 879 00:45:26,890 --> 00:45:30,894 or text podcast to 75004. 880 00:45:31,311 --> 00:45:35,023 Again, that number is 75004.