Human trafficking victims freed

15 facing charges after police blitz

A co-ordinated blitz on human trafficking operations across the province has led to 45 charges being laid against 15 people and the recovery of seven people believed to be victims, police say.

Three of the victims were recovered by Ottawa police, two by Peel police, one by Niagara police and one by Waterloo police, the OPP said in a news release issued on Wednesday morning.

Of the seven, two were under the age of 18.

The operation, dubbed Northern Spotlight, involved 317 officers from more than 45 police forces. The seven-day initiative was part of a larger, national operation conducted in partnership with the RCMP.

“These operations provided outreach to many people, and resulted in the identification of seven victims,” said Det. Staff-Sgt. Coyer Yateman, anti-human trafficking investigations co-ordination team for the OPP, in the news release.

“As part of Ontario’s Strategy to End Human Trafficking, we will continue to investigate this serious crime, to help free victims from a cycle of violence and abuse.”

Charges filed against the 15 people arrested include forcible confinement, trafficking in persons, deriving benefit from sexual services, assault with a weapon, aggravated assault, and assault causing bodily harm, among others.

Police haven’t released the identities of those who have been charged.