Interpol reported that the six-day international police operation against human trafficking led to more than 2,500 arrests and the rescue of more than 3,000 potential victims.
The operation, dubbed Liberterra II, took place between 29 September and 4 October and was the largest operation against human trafficking and smuggling ever conducted by the global law enforcement organisation.
People rescued included minors forced to work on farms in Argentina, migrants in nightclubs in northern Macedonia, people forced to beg in Iraq or serve in private households in the Middle East, Interpol said.
The raid resulted in the rescue of "3,222 potential victims of human trafficking and the identification of 17,793 irregular migrants," Interpol said.
In addition to the police raids, authorities fortified strategic border crossings, monitored nearly 24,000 flights and dispatched officers to known trafficking and smuggling hotspots, said the organization, which is based in Lyon, France.
According to the organisation's preliminary figures, nearly eight million checks were carried out on Interpol databases during the week and a total of 2,517 arrests were made, of which 850 were specifically on charges of human trafficking or migrant smuggling.
"In their relentless drive for profit, organised crime groups continue to exploit men, women and children - often repeatedly," said Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock.
"The results of this operation underscore the enormity of the challenge facing law enforcement, highlighting that only coordinated action can counter these threats," he said. | BGNES
