Colombia-Mexico dismantle forced human trafficking ring

On July 12, Interpol said Colombia and Mexico had dismantled a human trafficking ring that forced young women from Colombia to work as prostitutes in bars in Mexico.

The suspected leader of a human trafficking ring was arrested in Colombia on July 12. (Source: Interpol)

Police arrested the ringleader and his accomplices, all of whom were wanted internationally under Interpol red notices, Interpol's official website reported. Raids on homes and bars in Mexico resulted in the rescue of eight victims.

According to Interpol, the Colombian women, mainly from poor areas, were promised jobs as waitresses or hostesses in the popular tourist cities of Cancun and Merida in southeastern Mexico.

However, upon arrival, they were taken to shelters by gang members and had their passports confiscated.

The victims were then forced to sign contracts with unpayable debt and paid it off by working as prostitutes at bars allegedly owned by the gang leader.

Colombian authorities discovered that the suspected ringleader led a lavish lifestyle and traveled in high-end armored vehicles with his own security team. His assets, estimated at more than 8 billion Colombian pesos (nearly 1 million euros), were believed to have come directly from the human trafficking ring.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/colombia-mexico-triet-pha-duong-day-buon-nguoi-cuong-buc-278550.html