Cyprus police participated in the global operation against human trafficking known as Global Chain, which yielded no evidence of human trafficking within the country. The operation, supported by Europol, aimed to combat human trafficking for sexual exploitation, forced begging, and other crimes.
Conducted over four days starting June 8, the initiative resulted in 17 operations across various locations in Cyprus, including bars and apartments. Despite the extensive effort, authorities reported that no victims of human trafficking were identified during these operations.
The Global Chain operation spanned 59 countries and led to a total of 1,024 arrests worldwide, with approximately a third of those suspects believed to be involved in human trafficking cases. The operation also revealed 2,010 potential victims of trafficking, with a significant number originating from Latin America, particularly Colombia.
Investigators noted that a staggering 64.2% of adult victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation, while 20.9% were forced into other criminal activities, 11.3% into forced labour, and 2.1% for other exploitations. Among underage victims, the figure for sexual exploitation was even higher, at 86.4%.
The international nature of human trafficking networks was underscored by the fact that victims were identified from 45 different countries. Alongside Colombia, other notable countries included Argentina, Venezuela, Nepal, and Moldova, indicating a troubling cross-border trafficking dynamic.
As part of the extensive checks during this operation, authorities screened 140,737 vehicles, inspected 20,342 properties, and monitored 6,133 flights, covering a vast number of individuals—565,470 in total. This comprehensive approach highlights the ongoing global efforts to combat human trafficking, even as Cyprus police found no instances of such crime within their own operations.
