Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — Ethiopian Federal Police have apprehended the alleged mastermind of a multi-million-dollar human trafficking syndicate, with 17 suspects including the ringleader, Mohammed Tahir, also known as “Wordi, “now in custody.
The police have charged the gang with the deaths of 60 migrants, widespread sexual abuse of women, and the torture of Ethiopian migrants in Yemen, amassing over 1 billion Ethiopian birr ($6. 1 million; £4. 6 million) from their victims.
The suspects were detained in Addis Ababa and Harar as part of a 15-day operation, according to police spokesperson Jeylan Abdi.
The Ethiopian government has been stepping up its fight against human traffickers, including a recent case where police arrested another ring accused of luring thousands to Libya.
The alleged traffickers are accused of transporting over 40,000 Ethiopians to Saudi Arabia, via Djibouti and Yemen.
In Yemen, a country ravaged by civil war and a humanitarian crisis, the gang is said to have operated detention warehouses where they filmed migrants being tortured to extort money from their families.
The Ethiopian authorities have submitted the case file to the justice ministry, backed by witness statements from Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia, as well as documents.
The police have frozen the bank accounts of the alleged traffickers and seized their properties. This operation reflects the broader international concern over human trafficking and the challenges faced by many African nations in combating the crime.
As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the Ethiopian authorities will proceed with the prosecution and the impact this operation will have on the fight against human trafficking in the region.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: BBC Africa
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