Issued on: 06.11.2024 – 11:10Modified: 06.11.2024 – 11:08

1 min

The operation, dubbed “Liberterra II”, took place between September 29 and October 4 and was the largest anti-trafficking and people-smuggling operation by the global law enforcement organization.

Those rescued include minors forced to work on farms in Argentina, migrants in nightclubs in North Macedonia, people forced to beg in Iraq or serve in private households in the Middle East, Interpol said.

The raids led to the rescue of “3,222 potential victims of human trafficking and identified 17,793 illegal migrants,” the statement said.

In addition to police raids, authorities have also strengthened strategic border points, monitored nearly 24,000 flights and deployed officers to areas known for trafficking and smuggling, the organization, based in Lyon, France, said.

Almost eight million checks were carried out against Interpol’s databases and a total of 2,517 arrests were made during the week, of which 850 were specifically for human trafficking or migrant smuggling, according to preliminary figures from the organization .

“In their relentless pursuit of profit, organized criminal groups continue to exploit men, women and children – often multiple times,” said Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock.

“The results of this operation highlight the scale of the challenge facing law enforcement, emphasizing that only coordinated action can counter these threats,” he said.