Authorities in Guinea-Bissau have rescued over 100 victims of major human trafficking and illegal immigration network in a large-scale operation across several districts of the capital.
The Judicial Police rescued more than 100 victims, primarily from Côte d’Ivoire and Mali, who were found living in inhumane conditions in overcrowded residences.
The victims, many of whom suffered abuse and extreme poverty, were deceived through social media videos falsely showing migrants boarding cargo ships to Europe via the port of Bissau.
Investigations revealed that traffickers charged each victim around one million CFA francs with false promises of safe passage to Portugal using so-called “underground ships.” The victims were regularly relocated to avoid detection, often living up to 60 people in a single dwelling.
The operation led to the arrest of seven foreign nationals and the confiscation of documents and materials used in the trafficking scheme.
The Judicial Police emphasized its commitment to combating human trafficking and called for stronger international collaboration and increased public awareness.
