UAE helps Interpol nab 286 human traffickers and rescue 430 victims

Gulf Today Report

In an internationally coordinated campaign Interpol nabbed 286 human trafficking suspects and rescued 430 human trafficking victims worldwide.

Law enforcement officials from 47 countries participated  in Operation Liberterra from July 5-7.

For the whole operation Interpol had set up three Operational Coordination Units in Panama, Sudan and the UAE to support participating countries.

The UAE, which was among the participation countries, used the opportunity to raise awareness against human trafficking including a campaign in recruitment centers for domestic workers.

A Central Support Unit was set up at the Interpol General Secretariat in Lyon.

About 500,000 inspections at checkpoints and airports as well as at other human trafficking hotspots were carried out across the globe.

During the entire operation authorities rescued also identified 4,000 irregular migrants originating from 74 different countries.

Many of the rescued victims were provided with medical, psychological and housing assistance.

More often than not fake or stolen identity documents remain the golden ticket when it comes to helping people cross borders illegally.

“Operation Liberterra is a five-day snapshot of the global trafficking and smuggling situation, and how multinational, highly organised criminal networks only focus on one thing: profit,” said Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock.

“With 22 criminal groups dismantled, it also shows what coordinated, global law enforcement action can achieve.”