Arrests in Austria During Raid Against Human Trafficking

In August, two Austrian women and a Romanian woman were arrested in Austria and are in custody, reported Europol. In Spain, a man from Uruguay and a woman from Colombia were arrested. The Austrian Federal Criminal Police Office confirmed the operation but did not disclose further details as the investigations are still ongoing.

Dozens of Human Trafficking Victims Identified

The criminal network used coercion, deception, and the exploitation of vulnerabilities to exploit its victims. "In many cases, the perpetrators resorted to severe physical violence against the women and also threatened their family members back home," it was stated. During the investigations, dozens of victims were identified, mostly of Colombian origin. The women were forced to offer sexual services in prostitution rings; "the traffickers offered them like goods and strictly controlled them," reported Europol. Each suspect had a specific role - from recruiting and luring victims to Austria and other EU member states to transportation, accommodation, and organizing the exploitation.

Violence and Threats Against Victims and Families

Those who resisted the strict demands of the perpetrators were severely mistreated. "The criminals filmed the acts of violence and used the videos to intimidate other victims," according to Europol. Furthermore, they exerted control through threats and acts of violence against family members in Colombia. In a particularly gruesome case, this pressure culminated in the murder of a former member of the organization who had left the network. The crime occurred in Colombia.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.