The Ministry of the Interior identified 218 women at risk of sexual exploitation in the Mercia region in 2024, a 93% increase from the previous year, when there were 113, according to the statistical balance published by the department led by Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
The report specifies that, in the previous year, state security forces and agencies carried out a total of 52 administrative inspections against sexual exploitation in the Mercia region – compared to 30 in 2023 and 26 in 2022.
In these checks, 21 women and sexual exploitation victims, a dozen, have been identified as trafficking victims. 21 people were arrested for the former events, and for the latter, five.
Overall, there were 256 victims rescued from human trafficking networks, five of whom were minors. The majority profile is women between 23 and 27 years old from Colombia, Venezuela, and Paraguay.
In the case of victims saved from situations of sexual exploitation, without the involvement of human trafficking networks, the number increases to 376 (11 minors), mostly between 23 and 27 years old, originating from Colombia, Spain, and Venezuela.
The 188 police operations carried out in the field of trafficking and sexual exploitation have resulted in the dismantling of 77 criminal groups and non-stop organizations and the arrest of 525 people, mostly of Spanish nationality.
Additionally, in 2024, the National Police and Civil Guard conducted 1,705 administrative inspections at exercise locations, a task that allowed 7,697 people at risk of prostitution in these units to be identified, with a majority profile of women between 33 and 37 years old, of Colombian, Spanish, and Romanian origin.
Opening of the labor force
On the other hand, actions taken against human trafficking networks for the purpose of labor exploitation included 241 administrative checks in the Mercia region in 2024, with a total of 1,380 workers inspected.
In total, 73 people were identified as victims of labor exploitation, and the number of arrests for this type of events rose to 37.
The internal report does not provide data on the region regarding the number of identified victims of labor trafficking in 2024, although it reveals the figure from the previous year, which was 18.
In Spain, actions against human trafficking networks for labor exploitation have led to 246 victims, five of whom were minors. The majority profile of the victim is a man, between 23 and 27 years old, originating from Colombia, India, or Pakistan.
Victims saved from situations of labor exploitation, but without the involvement of human trafficking networks, were 905, five of whom were minors and with a similar profile: men between 23 and 27 years old, from Colombia, Morocco, and Senegal.
The action of security forces and state agencies in this case led to the dismantling of 33 criminal organizations in the field of labor trafficking and exploitation, resulting in the arrest of 425 individuals.
In 2024, the National Police and Civil Guard conducted 8,308 administrative inspections at workplaces, which allowed for the identification of 27,080 workers.
Dealing with forced marriages and crime
State security forces and agencies also act to combat human trafficking for purposes other than labor and sexual exploitation.
Throughout 2024, there were eight cases of trafficking for forced marriages, involving eight victims (six of whom were minors), of Bulgarian, Romanian, Spanish, Moroccan, Gambian, and Afghan origin. The operations resulted in the arrest of 21 individuals.
There were also two cases of trafficking aimed at Forced Crime, resulting in the liberation of three victims of Colombian origin. The operations led to the arrest of five individuals.
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