Home ›› 10 May 2022 ›› Governance
Bangladesh was among 25 countries in an Interpol-coordinated operation titled Operation Storm Makers against smuggling of migrants and human trafficking.
The operation was carried out between March 21 and 25 and it saw authorities take action against organised crime groups believed to be facilitating the travel of Asian men, women and children across borders for exploitation and profit, Interpol said on Monday.
Across 25 countries, the operation triggered 121 arrests and prompted 193 new investigations, rescued 80 human trafficking victims and identified 3,400 irregular migrants, Interpol said.
Smart electronic gates connected to Interpol’s databases at airports across the UAE to boost passport checks and help detect forged documents. Some 15 million checks were carried out globally.
Alongside Bangladesh, Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Turkey, UAE, UK, and Vietnam took part in the operation.
Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock said, “In just one week, this operation generated nearly 200 new investigations, revealing the sheer scale of these crimes. It is a huge responsibility for law enforcement, particularly when you know that the victims are in abusive or life-threatening situations. Interpol will continue to help authorities close the gaps and ensure the offenders behind these appalling activities are brought to justice.”
Major successes in the operation include the arrest of four people in Turkey, believed to be part of an international organ trafficking ring. The network, which originates in India, is accused of targeting vulnerable Indonesians to facilitate kidney transplants in Turkey.
The Philippines rescued 32 victims of human trafficking and arrested eight suspects on charges of trafficking, child exploitation and child abuse.
