Immigration
64 Mexican migrants rescued from human trafficking ring in Canada
The migrants were brought to Canada with the promise of getting good jobs in order to support their families back home. However, the men and women were made to work at farms, factories, and warehouses, and were made to live in unlivable conditions.
March 4, 2023 12:06pm
Updated: March 4, 2023 12:08pm
More than 60 Mexican migrants were rescued from a human trafficking scheme in Canada that had them living in “deplorable” conditions and threatened them with deportation if they spoke out, Canadian police said on Friday.
Sixty-four migrants were rescued from several locations around the Greater Toronto Area last month. The migrants ranged in age from individuals in their 20s to their 40s.
The migrants were brought to Canada with the promise of getting good jobs in order to support their families back home. However, the men and women were made to work at farms, factories, and warehouses, and were made to live in unlivable conditions, said Det. Sgt. Gary McBride.
“They also described forms of coercion and control, which included isolation, a lack of freedom, being financially bound, threats, and sexual assault,” McBride added.
Police began investigating the human trafficking scheme last November, after receiving a tip from a Mexican national. Police conducted a three-month investigation of the organization, dubbed Project Norte, during which they talked to several witnesses and surveilled locations. Investigators then received search warrants for several locations, where the migrants were living and working.
“To see the state of the workers’ living conditions, considering the promises that were made to them, was heartbreaking,” York police Chief Jim MacSween wrote in a statement.
“The Spanish-speaking officers who assisted in the investigation were also deeply affected, as they could see the reflections of their own families and friends in the faces of these hard-working people who were only trying to find a better life.”
Police identified five members of the criminal human trafficking organization, and they are facing multiple charges. Authorities are looking for two other individuals connected to the organization.
“These survivors are so humble, respectful, kind, and gentle,” said Jasmine De Fina, a specialist with Victims Services of York Region.
“The survivors feared that they would be charged and deported as this is a normal fear for survivors of human trafficking,” she said.
