Ethiopian law enforcement agencies have detained 17 individuals, including an alleged kingpin, over claims they operated a vast international human trafficking network responsible for exploiting tens of thousands of migrants and generating millions of dollars in illegal profits.
According to police, the suspects are linked to the deaths of at least 60 Ethiopian migrants and are accused of subjecting numerous women to sexual violence while torturing migrants in Yemen to extort money from their families.
Investigators estimate the group collected more than one billion Ethiopian birr through the criminal enterprise.
The alleged leader, identified as Mohammed Tahir, popularly known as “Wordi”, together with the other suspects, has not yet appeared before a court, and no public response has been issued regarding the accusations.
Authorities released photographs of all 17 suspects on Tuesday through the Ethiopian Federal Police’s official Facebook platform as investigations continue.
Police allege the syndicate facilitated the movement of more than 40,000 Ethiopians to Saudi Arabia using routes passing through Djibouti and war-ravaged Yemen.
Investigators believe the group operated secret detention facilities in Yemen, where migrants were reportedly held under brutal conditions.
Victims were allegedly tortured on camera, with the recordings sent to relatives in Ethiopia to pressure them into paying ransom demands.
Federal Police spokesperson Jeylan Abdi told BBC News Amharic that the arrests followed a 15-day security operation carried out in Addis Ababa and the eastern city of Harar.
While authorities have confirmed that evidence, including witness testimonies gathered in Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia as well as documentary materials, has been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice, they have not disclosed how the suspects have responded to the allegations.
The arrests form part of Ethiopia’s intensified campaign against transnational human trafficking networks.
Earlier this year, police also dismantled another trafficking operation accused of sending thousands of Ethiopians to Libya, from where many intended to continue irregular journeys towards Europe.
That case is currently before the courts.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong