A HUMAN trafficking ring promising fake jobs in Canada has been exposed in Cote d’Ivoire, where police rescued 33 West African victims who were being held and coerced into online scams, Interpol announced on Tuesday.
The victims, who were from Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, and Togo, were trafficked to Abidjan after paying as much as $9,000 to recruiters claiming to offer legal employment abroad. Instead, they found themselves trapped under physical and psychological control, forced to help lure others into the same trap.
Online deception used to trick new victims
The traffickers compelled the victims to take staged photos in upscale restaurants and hotels in Abidjan, making it appear as though they had arrived in Canada and were living well. These photos were posted online to deceive new targets into paying fees for the same non-existent job offers.
Victims were allowed limited contact with their families to maintain the illusion that they had migrated successfully. Interpol said the traffickers used the images and false narratives to sustain the recruitment pipeline and profit from repeated deception.
Father’s report sparked cross-border raid
The operation began after the father of two victims in Ghana raised the alarm with local authorities. A joint investigation between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire led to coordinated raids at two locations in Abidjan this past February, Interpol confirmed.
All 33 victims were rescued and later referred to a nongovernmental organisation for assistance and psychological support.
Police hail victims’ courage and collaboration
Youssouf Kouyate, Director General of the Ivorian National Police, praised both the bravery of the victims who came forward and the cross-border collaboration that led to the successful operation.
‘This case demonstrates the power of international cooperation and the courage of those who stepped forward to break the cycle of exploitation,’ Kouyate said in a statement.
Wider crackdown on regional trafficking rings
Interpol warned that scams like this are increasingly common across West Africa, with vulnerable populations being manipulated through false promises of foreign employment. In 2024 alone, regional police raids have led to the arrest of over 300 people linked to similar trafficking and fraud operations.
Interpol, which helps its 196 member countries coordinate in fields such as cybercrime, terrorism, financial crime, and human trafficking, continues to support investigations into transnational criminal networks.
