SLAVERY IN OUR OWN BACKYARD! David Ellero Senior Specialist Top Organised Crime Groups david.ellero@europol.europa.eu

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What will I talk about today What is Human Trafficking Why is it a form of Slavery What is happening around us trends

What is Human Trafficking WHAT: recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, HOW: by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, WHY: for the purpose of exploitation.

What is Human Trafficking RECRUITMENT TRANSPORTATION EXPLOITATION

Internet (advertisement) Recruitment Means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person Recruitment agencies Internet (advertisement) Relatives, friends Marriage

Transportation Air Land Sea However, not as important as for other crime areas, such as Facilitated Illegal Immigration

What about the consent… (b) The consent of a victim of trafficking in persons to the intended exploitation set forth in subparagraph (a) of this article shall be irrelevant where any of the means set forth in subparagraph (a) have been used; (c) The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation shall be considered “trafficking in persons” even if this does not involve any of the means set forth in subparagraph (a) of this article; (d) “Child” shall mean any person under eighteen years of age.

What is a child

So do we understand? TRAFFICKING = SLAVERY

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Modern day slavery Universal Declaration of Human Rights Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly December 10 1948 without a dissenting vote Article 4 “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms”

Hadn’t it been abolished? In theory yes… In practice it has just changed name!

Who are the victims Victims of sexual exploitation originate mainly form EU MS Romanian, Hungarian and Bulgarian victims are the most reported Nigerian victims are the most reported Third country nationals Proportion of nationality of suspects and victims is very similar Traffickers not bound to use particular routes

What is happening around us Mainly Sexual exploitation Labour exploitation Child exploitation But also… Organ trafficking (THB/OR)

What is happening around us

What is happening around us – Sexual Exploitation EU nationals and Third country nationals Both street and off-street prostitution Recruitment through a circle of persons often close to the victims or via internet Victims are often shifted from one MS to another In some OCG the women may play a key role Legal vs. illegal

What is happening around us - EU Romanian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Czech and Slovak trafficking networks amongst the most active High level of control on the victims the victims (psychological or physical violence) Threats against the victims and their families Same nationality as the traffickers, often from the same region Recruitment is made with false promises and deceit

What is happening around us – Extra EU Predominance of Nigerian, Chinese, South-American OCGs, and to a lesser extent Vietnamese and Eastern European Sexual and labour exploitation Linked to already established immigrants communities Sophisticated OCG active in the origin, transit and the destination countries Operating in cells across the EU, closely linked to each other Large use of false travel documents Misuse of visa regulations and asylum systems

What is happening around us -Labour exploitation The “legal” sector Vegetable picking, textile industry, construction work, low skilled labour The “illegal” sector Pick pocketing, ATM assaults, thefts, but also looking after Cannabis cultivations

What is happening around us -Child trafficking in the EU Criminal groups originating from South Eastern Europe Recruitment circle involving parents, family members Children belonging to the Roma community are particularly vulnerable Forced into delinquency (petty crimes, forced begging) Involved in defrauding social benefits systems

What is happening around us – Internet Used by the OCG as platform to recruit victims online To facilitate the victims’ exploitation through web-based adverts To attract virtually national markets targeted by the traffickers To ensure mass audience and anonymity Reducing the risk of detection by law enforcement Business model support - communication, bookings, money transfers, etc.

Conclusions

Ciao! and have a good week end!