An international human trafficking crackdown has led to more than 150 arrests and the identification of more than 1,000 victims.
The six-day operation, which took place at the start of June, involved nearly 15,000 officers from 43 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, according to Interpol.
It targeted organised criminal gangs involved in trafficking people – who are typically underage – for the purpose of sexual exploitation, forced criminality and begging, Europol said.
Many sexual exploitation trafficking victims are women, who are typically recruited from abroad and taken to massage parlours where they are pressured into prostitution.
“Human trafficking is a brutal and devastating crime that strips people of their dignity, freedom, and humanity, preying on the most vulnerable, including children,” said David Caunter, director of organised and emerging crime at Interpol.
The operation – dubbed “Global Chain” – made 158 arrests in total and identified a further 205 suspects, while 1,194 potential victims were discovered.
It was led by Austrian and Romanian authorities, and focused primarily on Europe – but also saw suspects arrested in Thailand, Nigeria and Vietnam.
Police in Malta freed three Colombian women – two sisters and their aunt – who were originally offered employment as cleaners there by an Italian national, Europol said.
Upon arrival, their passports were confiscated by the suspect under the guise of arranging work permits, the witholding of which was then used to coerce them into prostitution, the agency added.
In Austria, officers made seven arrests in connection with a Romanian family-based gang that allegedly used the “lover-boy” method to lure women into sexual exploitation and forced criminality under the pretence of a romantic relationship.
And in Italy, police raided several massage parlours with suspected links to sexual exploitation, identifying 75 potential trafficking victims, according to Interpol.
Potential trafficking victims originated from 64 countries around the globe, but the majority came from Romania, Ukraine, Colombia, China and Hungary, officials said.
The operation also saw €277,669 (£240,351) in cash seized, as well as 30 guns, 65 fraudulent documents and a tonne of cannabis.
A similar operation took place around the same time last year, resulting in the arrest of 200 suspects and the identification of more than 1,300 victims.
