Police have arrested fifteen suspected human traffickers in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.
The individuals allegedly manipulate and exploit people by using enticing offers such as employment or travel in foreign countries.
Authorities in Aweil say these offers are false as they are used to lure people into forced labor and sex trafficking .
Captain Guot Guot, the State Police spokesperson told Akol Yam FM that the suspects were arrested driving a Land-cruiser in Warawar on Saturday.
Among them are; 2 South Sudanese, 4 Sudanese, 3 Somali and 6 Eritrean.
He said they were arrested while transporting unsuspecting passengers at night without legal documents.
“We arrested those suspects from Warawar in Aweil East County. This business was run by foreigners but our South Sudanese nationals are involved because they are driving vehicles that are used for illegal immigrants,” Captain Guot narrated.
Police believe the mastermind of the suspected trafficking to be an Eritrean national who operates from Juba.
“We detained them all for investigations, but their case will be transferred to the high authority to handle it,” Captain Guot stated.
He further warned security officers “who cooperated with foreigners on such business to distance themselves from it.”
Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.
Poverty, oppression, lack of human rights, lack of social or economic opportunity, dangers from conflict or instability are some of the common factors that make people want to migrate in search of better conditions.
It is a criminal offense around the world to engage in trafficking of any kind.