Fifty child victims of exploitation ‘rescued’ in West Africa

90 people, including 56 minors, victims of sexual exploitation and forced labor were “rescued” in four West African countries as of early December. “Interpol’s operation against criminal groups responsible for human trafficking and child exploitation in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo resulted in the rescue of 90 victims and the arrest of 15 human trafficking suspects,” the institution said in a statement. on Wednesday. .

Among those rescued during this operation, which was carried out from December 5 to 12, “56 minors were victims of sexual exploitation and forced labor in gold mines, open markets or in private homes”, perhaps we read in the text. “As countries and police cooperate… the network expands and more criminals are identified. This is the essence of Interpol,” welcomed Jürgen Stock, Secretary General of the Lyon organization.

Illegal gold mining and sexual exploitation

Specifically, in Côte d’Ivoire, a group of 35 victims, including eight minors, was rescued and two men “nationally wanted for two years” were arrested. In Burkina Faso, 10 miners were identified on their way “to an illegal gold mine where they were promised jobs” and their “employer” was arrested.

In Benin, four children were “liberated from forced labor” at the large Dantokpa open market in Cotonou. Finally, a Nigerian woman was intercepted in Togo on her way to Mali with five women, including three minors, destined to “work in clubs where they would be sexually exploited,” Interpol said.