Category: Trafficking in human beings

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EuroMed Justice Project joins partners to strengthen regional efforts to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling

Source: Eurojust

The 5-day course enhanced law enforcement’s and judicial authorities technical capacities in addressing transnational organized human trafficking and migrant smuggling crimes by adapting current and state-of-the-art investigation techniques and practices. It was organised under the framework of the Action Plan A: Countering the trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants within the cross-Mediterranean region.

Using various innovative and interactive training strategies, more than 50 human trafficking and migrant smuggling investigators, border security officers, prosecutors, and members of the judiciary from eight MENA countries were trained on addressing several cutting-edge topics relevant to the trafficking of persons and migrant smuggling crimes. It included identifying indicators and new criminal patterns and leading proactive investigations in the absence of victim cooperation, as well as prosecuting traffickers and smugglers successfully within a human rights framework.

Additionally, the training adopted a victim-centric approach, which provided participants with up-to-date practices for managing victims throughout the investigation and prosecution process. During that module, participants benefited from Eurojust’s experience via the participation of a representative of the Eurojust Victims’ Rights Working Group. The training also highlighted effective impact gender-sensitive policies could have on the success of the investigation process, especially in these types of crimes.

Lastly, the participants were introduced to new crime patterns and the challenges of the use of advanced technology like artificial intelligence in committing the crime and responding to it.

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Actions taken to stop Romanian human trafficking network

Source: Eurojust

An ongoing investigation led by the Romanian authorities confirmed that, in order to obtain important material benefits, the OCG members have been committing offences of trafficking in human beings, pimping and money laundering, since at least January 2022.

The victims from disadvantaged backgrounds were recruited in Romania and subsequently transported to France for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The recruitment and control of the victims involved various forms of coercion, including threat, force and deception.

The suspects executed most of their activities from Romania, travelling to France only for short periods. Through profiles on a website, they coordinated their activities and were in touch with their clients.

Different short-term rental apartments in France, mostly located in Lyon, were used for their activities. The proceeds of the sexual exploitation were sent to the leaders of the group in Romania and laundered through different investments.

With the support of Eurojust, connections between Romanian and French investigative authorities were made, bringing prosecution to the next phase.

The cooperation between the authorities led to a joint action day on 3 July, coordinated by Eurojust. In Romania, 14 locations were searched and vehicles and money were also seized. Furthermore, bank cards which belonged to victims were found. Of the eight six suspects, six were identified in Romania and two in France. Two of the suspects have been arrested.

Europol facilitated the exchange of information and provided analytical support to the investigation. On the action day, Europol deployed staff to the coordination centre at Eurojust.

Human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation remains the most prevalent form of exploitation in the European Union, with women and girls accounting for 87% of victims. As human trafficking usually takes place across borders, judicial cooperation is key to dismantling the OCGs and bringing them to justice. In 2023, Eurojust assisted in over 300 cross-border human trafficking cases.

The authorities involved in the actions:

  • Romania: Special Operations Directorate, Service for Combating Organized Crime Olt and Gorj; Offices for Combating Organized Crime of Bucharest and Craiova; Mobile Gendarmerie Group “Buzești Brothers” Craiova, Special Intervention Brigade of the Gendarmerie; Prosecution Office of High Court of Cassation and Justice, Directorate for Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism, Mehedinti Territorial Office;
  • France: Investigative judge from JIRS Lyon (Interregional Specialised Jurisdiction); Research Section Lyon, Gendarmerie Nationale
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Website used for child pornography, prostitution and drug dealing taken down with support of Eurojust

Source: Eurojust

An online platform known for facilitating various crimes was taken down by the French authorities, in cooperation with Bulgaria, Germany Lithuania, the Netherlands and Hungary. The authorities had been investigating the digital platform since December 2023. During an action day on 24 June the servers located in Germany were seized and disconnected and over EUR 5.6 million of criminal funds were frozen.

The website was used for many years to facilitate a range of criminal activities, in particular for child pornography, sexual exploitation, drug dealing, ambushes and even homicides. Criminals were able to send messages and connect with other criminals active in their criminal activities.

Since 2021, more than 23 000 judicial procedures have been initiated involving the online platform. At least 480 victims of the platform have been heard during these judicial procedures. Investigations into the platform were started by French authorities in December 2023. These investigations showed that the platform was concealing and facilitating transactions for organised crime groups and was enabling criminal activities such as pimping and paedophilia.

A coordinated action to take down the website was carried out with the full support of Eurojust. The authorities seized the servers located in Germany, which resulted in the platform being disconnected and the display of a splash page. The Lithuanian and Hungarian authorities ensured the swift execution of freezing orders, which led to the freezing of over EUR 5.6 million in criminal funds.

At the same time, a European Investigation Order (EIO), issued from France, was successfully executed in Bulgaria. All investigative actions have been carried out in presence of French magistrates and officials from the Law enforcement authorities of France upon authorisation by the competent Bulgarian authorities. As part of the execution of the EIO, bank statements were  revealed, searches and seizures were carried out and witnesses were questioned.

The actions were carried out by the following authorities:

  • France: PPO Paris JUNALCO (National Jurisdiction against organised Crime) Cybercrime Unit; Gendarmerie Nationale – Cybercrime unit; ONAF (Anti Fraud National Office)
  • Bulgaria: Sofia City PPO and General Police Directorate Combating Organised Crime
  • Germany: Public Prosecutor’s Office Limburg; Hessian State Criminal Police Office
  • Hungary: Budapest IX. District Public Prosecutor’s Office
  • Lithuania: Vilnius Regional Prosecutor’s Office
  • The Netherlands: Public Prosecutor’s Office Amsterdam
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The fight against human trafficking requires close cooperation across borders with the support of Eurojust

Source: Eurojust

Trafficking in human beings is a serious transnational crime, which requires a comprehensive approach from prevention to prosecution, while protecting victims as foreseen in the EU Strategy on combatting trafficking in human beings 2021-2025. Trafficking is still a high profit low risk crime. At global level, illegal profits are estimated at US$236 billion annually. It is often linked to organised crime. In the EU, 55 of the most threatening criminal networks engage in trafficking in human beings as main activity.

Trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation remains a prevalent form of exploitation in the EU, while labour exploitation has increased in recent years; both remain underreported. Moreover, new forms of exploitation are increasing, for example forced criminality.

To ensure that traffickers are brought to justice, close cooperation at all levels is required, including of judicial authorities. Organised Crime Groups that commit human trafficking, usually operate in several countries.

On 26 and 27 June, the Focus Group against the trafficking in human beings met for the third time to exchange best practices and share challenges in judicial cooperation in relation to human trafficking. The meeting was co-chaired by Eurojust and the EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator.

The EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, Diane Schmitt, and the Chair of Eurojust’s Anti-Trafficking teams, Daniela Buruiană, stated during the meeting:

‘Prosecutors are encouraged to make full use of the tools and instruments available at EU level with the support of the EU Agencies, including Eurojust and other stakeholders. This is crucial for ensuring a strong judicial response against human trafficking. We welcome that this year, we facilitated a first dialogue between prosecutors and the private sector. Successful investigations and prosecutions require close cooperation between all relevant actors.’

The meeting brought together prosecutors and investigative judges from 24 Member States and Albania, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, United States and United Kingdom, as well as the European Commission, Europol and EMPACT THB (European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats) coordinator. The meeting discussed the judicial aspects related to the online dimension of human trafficking, the challenges that occur in cases of sexual and labour exploitation, forced criminality or exploitative surrogacy, and the opportunity of using financial investigations to build up strong evidence in human trafficking cases and recover proceeds of crime. The meeting allowed identifying new ways of cooperation and strengthening the common understanding of different legal concepts.

Participants underlined the importance of cross-border cooperation and the need of regular exchanges. Eurojust facilitates this collaboration between prosecutors with operational and logistical support to cross-border cases. Eurojust has assisted national authorities with more than 300 human trafficking cases in 2023.

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Eurojust supports arrest of nine human traffickers in France and Spain

Source: Eurojust

An organised crime group (OCG) active in human trafficking and sexual exploitation has been exposed, and suspected members were arrested with the support of Eurojust and Europol. The arrest of nine suspects in France and Spain has stopped the structured human trafficking network in its tracks. Six victims of the human traffickers were taken to safety.

After French authorities discovered an apartment that was used for prostitution in 2022, an investigation was launched that exposed the network’s activities in human trafficking and sexual exploitation in France and Spain. The victims, mostly from Latin America, the Caribbean and Romania, were taken to France and then moved around the country to engage in prostitution in apartments rented for short periods by the OCG. Members of the network used the internet to advertise paid sexual services.

Following the operation and arrests of the suspects, six victims in France were offered assistance and shelter by a dedicated non-profit organisation.

To prepare for the action day, Eurojust organised a coordination meeting between the French and Spanish authorities, ensuring smooth cooperation for the coordinated actions. Eurojust also assisted in the execution of several European Investigation Orders, freezing orders and European Arrest Warrants.

These actions were carried out by the following authorities:

  • France: JIRS Nancy (Interregional Specialised Jurisdiction) and OCRTEH (Central Office against human trafficking)
  • Spain: Audiencia Nacional (Central Investigative Courts num 1 & 2 and PPO) at judicial level and UCRIF (Policía Nacional) at police level
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Crackdown on criminal network that used minors and women for street begging in Portugal

Source: Eurojust

Supported by Eurojust and Europol, judicial and law enforcement authorities in Portugal and Romania have dismantled an organised crime group involved in human trafficking, qualified fraud and money laundering. The suspects allegedly transported Romanian citizens, mostly minors and women, to Portugal and used them to beg for a fictitious association, posing as deaf-mute children and young people.

The criminal network is believed to have made a profit of over EUR 230,000 from this criminal activity.

During a joint action on 11-14 March, the Portuguese and Romanian authorities carried out six house searches, interrogated three defendants and interviewed five witnesses in Romania. Eight more suspects were interrogated in the weeks following the operation. At least thirty victims were identified and brought to safety.

Eurojust assisted the Portuguese and Romanian authorities in setting up and funding a joint investigation team into the case in April 2023. The Agency organised and hosted two coordination meetings to facilitate judicial cooperation and prepare for the joint action.

Europol facilitated the exchange of information between the different law enforcement authorities involved.

The following authorities took part in this investigation:

  • Portugal: Porto Public Prosecution Office; Porto Public Security Police
  • Romania: Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism – Central Structure (PPO); Service for Combating Organised Crime Ialomita (police)
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Support to arrest 22 suspects forcing female victims into prostitution

Source: Eurojust

Specific members of the OCG used the so-called ‘lover boy’ method, pretending to engage personally with women from a poor background in Bulgaria and other countries in Eastern Europe and promising them good job opportunities in Italy. In reality, their passports were taken away and the victims were forced into prostitution in Italy in dire conditions.

The OCG had a clear division of roles, with certain members being responsible for luring the victims to Italy and others taking care of transport and controlling them, occasionally under extreme duress.

The Italian authorities started investigating the OCG in 2021, and a year later Eurojust was contacted to coordinate the cooperation with their counterparts in Bulgaria, via the National Desks of both countries at the Agency.

Eurojust provided support with the execution of European Investigations Orders and requests for Mutual Legal Assistance, as well as the setting up of a coordination meeting. During the joint action day, assistance was also provided to the three competent Bulgarian Prosecution Offices in order to rapidly execute European Arrest Warrants for seven of the suspects, who were residing in Bulgaria.

The tracing and arrest activities in Bulgaria were carried out via the European Network of Fugitive Active Search Teams, specifically by the Bulgarian team, upon activation by their counterparts in Italy, which provided constant information.

The operations on the ground were carried out at the request of and by:

  • Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office of Lecce; Italian State Police HQ of Lecce; Fugitive Active Search Team (FAST) Italy, at the Service for International Police Cooperation (SCIP) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
  • Bulgaria: FAST Bulgaria, at the General Directorate of the National Police – Wanted and Missing Persons Unit.
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Eight arrested in international operation against human trafficking supported by Eurojust

Source: Eurojust

With the support of Eurojust and Europol, authorities in Belgium and Hungary have taken action against an organised crime group involved in the trafficking of women for sexual exploitation. During a joint action, eight suspects were arrested in both countries. Several victims have been identified and brought to safety. Eurojust assisted the authorities in setting up and funding a joint investigation team (JIT) into the case.

During an international operation carried out on 20 February, eight suspects were arrested: six in Belgium and two in Hungary. The police seized 15 luxury vehicles, around EUR 34,000 in cash and EUR 9,500 in gold and silver during the searches in Belgium. In Hungary, a luxury vehicle, EUR 6,000 in cash and four wristwatches were seized.

The case was opened by Eurojust in February 2023 at the request of the Belgian authorities. A JIT was set up between the Belgian and Hungarian authorities with the support of Eurojust in May 2023. One coordination meeting was hosted by the Agency to facilitate judicial cooperation.

Europol facilitated the exchange of information and provided support during the investigation. Europol also provided operational analysis, operational intelligence and coordinated operational activities. During the action day, Europol deployed two Europol experts to Belgium and one to Hungary to provide analytical and technical support to the national authorities.

The following authorities took part in this investigation:

  • Belgium: Prosecution Office of West-Flanders; Investigating judge West-Flanders, section Bruges; Local police Ostend
  • Hungary: Metropolitan Public Prosecutor’s Office; Hungarian National Bureau of Investigation