Ireland Trafficking ‘Potentially’ A Huge Problem

The Minister for Justice, Brian Lenihan, has said human trafficking has the potential to become a significant problem in Ireland.

Mr Lenihan was speaking in the Dáil during this morning’s debate of the second stage of the Criminal Law Human Trafficking Bill.

He said the Government was committed to tackling the crime and recognised the need to draw together the various Government departments in combating it.

AdvertisementHis comments came after the arrest of one suspect as part of an investigation into an international child trafficking ring.

Dutch police announced last night that 19 arrests of suspected traffickers were made in Holland, Spain, Belgium, Britain, the United States and Ireland.

It says Nigerian children, allegedly controlled through voodoo threats, were trafficked into Holland and forced to work as prostitutes in several European countries including France, Italy and Spain.

The suspect arrested in Ireland, on a European Arrest Warrant, is Peter Sarfo and he is due back before the High Court next week.

It is understood  there is no evidence of any children being trafficked into Ireland.

This investigation into the disappearance of Nigerian children in Holland has been ongoing for over a year.

It uncovered a child trafficking ring, whereby Nigerian children, mostly girls controlled by voodoo threats, were sent to Amsterdam with fake documents and told to apply for asylum.

The young girls were then moved from care centres and forced into prostitution.

More than 130 went missing and several victims have been found on the streets of France, Italy and Spain as well as Holland.

In a series of raids the Dutch found 10 migrants and arrested 13 people, while six other suspects have been arrested in Spain, Belgium, Britain, the United States and Ireland.