More than 1,100 people, including torture and trafficking survivors, have been convicted of illegally arriving in the UK via small boats or lorries since 2022, according to Freedom of Information data.
Former Pakistani state minister Rukhsar Ahmed was arrested in Manchester in July 2024 on suspicion of 1990s child rape and trafficking, and is currently on police bail.
Federal agents investigating cocaine trafficking in New Mexico discovered 60 snakes—including venomous cobras, mambas, and an inland taipan—alongside half a pound of cocaine, three firearms, and $22,000 during a raid in the South Valley near Albuquerque.
A high court judge has ordered the Home Office to return an alleged trafficking victim forcibly removed to France under the 'one in one out' scheme, in a first-of-its-kind ruling that quashed a policy denying reconsideration of trafficking claims.
Thousands of talibés, young Qur’anic students, are forced to beg daily in Senegal, often facing abuse and exploitation by some marabouts who profit from the practice. Human rights groups highlight this as human trafficking, while government efforts to end it are deemed limited and ineffective.
Imprisoned former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro welcomed dialogue for peace and reconciliation, ahead of a US-backed meeting between Venezuela's interim government and opposition leaders. Maduro, held in New York on drug and firearms charges, conveyed his message via Telegram.
The Home Office has confirmed at least five victims of former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed as human trafficking survivors. This follows calls from abuse survivors for the Metropolitan Police's Operation Cornpoppy to focus on trafficking, with cases spanning from the 1990s to after 2010.
Morocco's Interior Ministry attributes the mass migrant crossing into Spain's Ceuta enclave to social media misinformation and human trafficking. The incident, involving about 40,000 people, alarmed the EU and led Italy to suspend Schengen travel from Spain. Spain seeks more border resources.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledges "relentless" action on small boat crossings, advocating for safe routes and EU dialogue, following Spain's return of 98% of 50,000 migrants from Ceuta to Morocco. UK crossings are down 43% year-on-year.
Liberia is battling a widespread kush crisis, devastating families and disrupting young lives, while authorities uncover large-scale international cocaine trafficking through the country. Despite a public health emergency declaration, limited rehabilitation options and low conviction rates for traffickers highlight systemic challenges.
Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, brother of slain cartel leader "El Mencho," pleaded guilty in Washington to conspiring to traffic cocaine and methamphetamine into the U.S. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for November 13.
Spain's PM Pedro Sánchez blamed trafficking gangs after approximately 60,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco, leading to at least 57 deaths. Sánchez called it a "violation of Spain's territorial integrity," prompting Italy to suspend Schengen arrangements with Spain. Over 48,000 have voluntarily returned.
Indigenous leaders on the Brazil-Peru border report their communities are "taken hostage" by organised crime groups involved in drug trafficking, illegal logging, and mining. The Asháninka people, facing severe threats, appealed to the Brazilian government for permanent security presence and protection, warning of disastrous self-defense if the state fails to act.
An Indonesian court convicted 19 people for baby trafficking, including at least 12 babies sent to Singapore. The verdict concludes the case but leaves the legal status and future of the adopted children in Singapore uncertain, causing anxiety for adoptive parents.
Indonesia's Child Protection Commissioner states that recent illegal adoptions and baby trafficking cases, including a syndicate that trafficked 28 babies to Singapore, are just the 'tip of the iceberg'. Poverty is identified as a root cause, with vulnerable mothers selling newborns due to financial hardship.
Former Barclays CEO Jes Staley appeared before US lawmakers for a closed-door interview regarding his past ties to convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This follows a UK regulatory investigation that led to Staley's resignation and a ban from the UK financial sector.
Binance has partnered with UK nonprofit STOP THE TRAFFIK to enhance its capabilities in identifying and investigating cryptocurrency activity linked to human trafficking and child exploitation, receiving specialized intelligence and training.
Indian national Harmanveer Singh was arrested in Stockton, California, by the FBI for alleged involvement in a transnational drug trafficking network linked to Canada-based Ravinder Dhanda's organised crime group. His arrest is part of 'Operation Hard Ball,' a broader international crackdown targeting multiple India-linked crime syndicates.
Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will stand trial in the US on June 1, 2027, for drug trafficking charges. Captured by US forces in Caracas, they pleaded not guilty. The defense plans to challenge the indictment based on sovereign immunity and the legality of their capture.
A US judge in New York has set June 1, 2027, as the trial date for former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on drug trafficking charges. The couple was detained in early January by US forces in Caracas and faces potential life sentences if found guilty.
A New York District Judge has scheduled the drug trafficking trial of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores to begin on June 1, 2027. The couple, who pleaded not guilty, were reportedly captured by US forces in Caracas in January and face charges in the US Federal Court.
Austria has converted Adolf Hitler's birthplace in Braunau am Inn into a police station to "neutralise" its toxic legacy and deter neo-Nazi pilgrimages. The building, now housing a narcotics unit, aims to become a "place of democracy, rule of law, security" after years of public debate and extremist displays.
A US judge has set June 1, 2027, as the trial date for Venezuela's ousted president Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Brooklyn on drug trafficking charges. They pleaded not guilty and face potential life sentences if convicted.
Daniel Siad, a modelling scout under investigation in France for human trafficking and rape allegations linked to Jeffrey Epstein, was found dead at his home near Paris. Siad, whose name appeared in over 1,000 Epstein files, had denied the allegations and was awaiting questioning.
