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Interpol-Led Sweep Rescues 4,414 Trafficking Victims, Arrests 3,744 in 119 Countries

Officials describe a fast-changing crime that now funnels victims into forced labor, with coerced roles in online scam centers rising.

Overview

  • The roughly two-week operation, dubbed Liberterra III, deployed about 14,000 officers across 119 countries in mid-November.
  • Authorities identified 133 criminal groups tied to human trafficking or migrant smuggling.
  • More than 720 new investigations were opened following the coordinated raids.
  • Interpol reports notable shifts in exploitation, including increased forced labor and recruitment into internet fraud hubs.
  • Investigators uncovered an attempted organ-trafficking case involving an eight-year-old boy in Mozambique, and observed more Asian and South American victims appearing in Africa.