31 Aug - 6 Sept 2017
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Nigerian sex slaves freed
Unchained By Tahnee Wright An operation involving the Spanish and Finnish police has resulted in the arrest of 25 people behind a sex trafficking network targeting Nigerian women. The operation - coordinated by Europol and Eurojust – also resulted in the freeing of 16 vulnerable young women. The network was set up predominantly in Benidorm and Malaga, although women were also exploited in Barcelona, Gandia, Madrid and Soria. Europol released a statement describing how “the victims were recruited in Nigeria and trafficked to Spain via Italy.” On arrival in Spain, the women were told to seek international protection and asylum “so that they could work for the criminal organisation without problems in the event of being identified by the police,” Europol said.
HERE TO HELP: The investigation resulted in the freeing of 16 vulnerable young women. The investigation led officers to Barcelona where two of the main gang members lived. Of the 24 arrests in Spain, eight gang members were ar-
Photo credit Comisaría Provincial de Malaga
ISSUE NO. 1678
rested in Madrid, five in Malaga, four in Benidorm, three in Barcelona, two in Gandia, one in Murcia and one in Soria.
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