Police involved in human trafficking network

Police dismantled an alleged criminal network operating in Colombia and Ecuador

The network is pressumably working  in the provinces of Esmeraldas, Carchi, Sucumbios, Imbabura and Guayas. Therefore, the past May 15 the agents Francisco A. and Arsube V. entered the courtroom after being arrested for allegedly being part of this criminal organization, which would be extended to India and Sri Lanka (Asia).

Along with them were also arrested Verónica R. and foreigners Navtej K., Balachandram R. and Arumugam U.

People involved in the investigation  of this case indicated that the organization allegedly used Ecuadorian international airports to take the victims to the United States through Central American mafias.

A reserved 135 page report conducted by an  NGO last year, reveals that women trafficking mafias for sexual exploitation are integrated by police agents. In Carchi, for example, investigations determined that police officers are owners of white vans that are uses to transport the victims  from Colombian cities.

The study collects testimonies of victims of trafficking; inhabitants of those cities, activists of Human rights and police, who noted that the policentro officers “have women of their property”. In addition, notes that two senior officers live on the top floor of a building of six floors, where they run a nightclub in which they hide the women from police operations.

Diego Falconí, Undersecretary of Democratic Guarantees of the Ministry of the Interior and responsible for the issues of trafficking, confirmed that “he is investigating” the agents.

The study of the NGO makes another revelation: “some police officers serve as hitmen to the brothel business, to  settle accounts” and “payments for these services are with women and money”.

The investigation  of the alleged network of traffickers, calculated that the network paid  around $5 000 for each foreigner to enter the country and then take them by plane to the United States. The two  immigration police officers and three foreigners remain in custody.