Police bust human trafficking syndicate, rescue two Colombian women

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the National Central Bureau (NCB-INTERPOL), Lagos Annex, have rescued two Colombian women allegedly trafficked to Nigeria by a human trafficking syndicate.

The women, identified as Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa, were rescued on Wednesday, August 26, following intelligence provided by the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Bogotá, Colombia.

According to the police, the victims were allegedly lured to Nigeria through fraudulent arrangements made by members of the syndicate.

Upon arrival in the country, they were reportedly taken to a hideout in Lagos, where they were allegedly held against their will.

The police further said the women’s travel documents were confiscated, leaving them unable to move freely or return to their country.

The rescue followed coordinated efforts between Nigerian and Colombian INTERPOL authorities to track the victims and dismantle the trafficking network involved.

According to the Force, some Chinese nationals suspected to be involved in the operation fled the hideout before the arrival of the police team.

The operation began after the INTERPOL-NCB in Bogotá alerted its Nigerian counterpart on August 26 to the plight of the two Colombian nationals.

The rescue highlights the growing transnational dimension of human trafficking and organised crime, with victims often moved across borders through deception, false promises and fraudulent travel arrangements.

The NPF said its INTERPOL bureau maintains cooperation with law enforcement agencies in other countries to facilitate intelligence sharing, investigations and the recovery of victims of transnational crimes.

Police authorities are expected to continue efforts to identify and apprehend other members of the syndicate involved in the alleged trafficking and unlawful detention of the victims.

Acting on the intelligence, operatives of the NCB-INTERPOL, Lagos Annex, launched a covert tracking operation to identify the location where the women were being held.

The police team subsequently traced the victims to a hideout in Lagos and moved in to rescue them.

The suspected traffickers, however, reportedly fled the premises when they sighted the approaching police operatives, abandoning the victims at the location.

The Force said efforts had been intensified to identify, track and arrest the fleeing suspects and other members of the syndicate.

The rescued women are now in safe custody and are receiving the necessary support from the relevant authorities.

The police said the Colombian Embassy in Accra, Ghana, is working with the NCB-INTERPOL to provide temporary hotel accommodation for the victims and facilitate the issuance of emergency travel documents to enable them return safely to Bogotá.

The police did not disclose the circumstances under which the women were initially recruited or the nature of the promises allegedly made to lure them to Nigeria, as investigations into the operation are ongoing.

International law-enforcement agencies have increasingly relied on intelligence sharing and coordinated operations to disrupt such networks and rescue victims.

The latest operation, according to the police, demonstrates the importance of the INTERPOL framework in enabling law-enforcement agencies in different countries to act swiftly when information about cross-border criminal activities is received.

Reaffirming the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to combating transnational organised crime, the Inspector-General of Police, (IGP) Olatunji Disu, said the Force would continue to strengthen cooperation with international law-enforcement partners.

The IGP also reiterated the police commitment to protecting the lives and property of residents and ensuring that Nigeria does not become a safe haven for criminal networks involved in trafficking and other cross-border offences.

The statement announcing the rescue was issued on Saturday, by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu.

He said the operation was a “major breakthrough” in the ongoing efforts to combat transnational organised crime and reaffirmed the Force’s determination to pursue the fleeing suspects.

The police urged members of the public and international partners to continue providing credible information that could assist security agencies in identifying criminal networks and rescuing victims of trafficking and other forms of exploitation.

The Force said investigations into the case were continuing, while efforts to apprehend all members of the syndicate remained ongoing.

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