OPERATION “WEKA” ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND MIGRANT SMUGGLING MOBILIZED 24 SOURCES, TRANSIT, AND DESTINATION COUNTRIES

 

 

Karimi & Associates Law Firm presents according to INTERPOL:

In an INTERPOL-led suppress on human trafficking and migrant smuggling named “Weka”, nearly 500 victims of human trafficking, including children, have been rescued by authorities in Africa and Europe and some 760 irregular migrants have been identified as a result of the operation.

 

Operation Weka, which means “Stop” in Swahili, has led to a total of 195 arrests as well as 88 for human trafficking and 63 on people smuggling charges. The remaining arrests were on other charges such as document fraud, theft, drug-related crimes, and environmental offenses.

This joint operation was supported by several partners, including the International Organization for Migration playing a lead role in victim assistance. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime also provided judicial support, and intelligence was generated by AIRCOP, Europol, and the ROCK – AU-Horn of Africa Initiative on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling.

 

Operation Weka once again demonstrated how closely linked migrant smuggling and human trafficking are, particularly in a global health crisis when the most vulnerable are desperate to escape hardship, and the criminal networks are just keen to turn a profit.

 

INTERPOL’s Secretary General Jürgen Stock said: “These victims could not simply walk away from the horrific situation they found themselves in and the suffering they endured. This is why INTERPOL’s work does not stop here. We will continue to help countries untangle sensitive and complex cases, which, will undoubtedly generate more arrests in the months to come.”