Saving lives and protecting migrants: Operation Liberterra II

Douala – From September 29 to October 4, 2024, a major effort to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling took place in Douala, Cameroon. This initiative, named “Operation Liberterra II,” was led by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and brought together a team of nearly 30 experts. The team included police officers, judges, and government officials from departments dealing with social affairs, labor, and job training.

For six intense days, the team worked to uncover and stop groups involved in exploiting vulnerable people. They watched the city closely, checked passengers on certain flights, and looked for people who might be in the country without proper documentation. The team also carried out carefully planned raids on places they suspected were being used by traffickers.

Their hard work paid off with some disturbing but important discoveries. In total, they rescued 17 people who had been trafficked – brought into the country illegally and forced to work against their will. Among those saved were 14 women (10 from Vietnam and four from China) who had been forced into prostitution at a local brothel. They also rescued three people from Chad who had been tricked with false promises of good jobs but instead were made to work in terrible conditions.

These victims, all between 23 and 34 years old, were immediately taken to safe places. The team is now working on plans to help them return to their home countries and families if they want to.

The head of police for the region spoke about why this operation was so important. He said, “This work has finally shown everyone a problem that has been hurting our city for years. It’s a good start, but we need to do more. Douala is a busy place where many people come and go for business, which makes it easier for criminals to take advantage of people. We need to keep working to make our city safer and ensure that people are treated fairly and respectfully when they come here for work.”

The raids also showed how complex these criminal operations can be. The team found that some traffickers were pretending to run normal businesses or job recruitment agencies to cover for their illegal activities. They also identified people who were helping others enter the country illegally or bringing people in specifically to force them into sex work.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) was an important partner in this operation. They emphasized why this work matters for the bigger picture. A representative said, “We want to make sure that when people move to other countries for work, they can do it safely and legally, and that their rights are protected. This operation shows why it’s so important for companies and people who hire workers from other countries to use fair and honest methods. We’re asking everyone involved in hiring to join us in making sure this happens.”

As Douala deals with what was uncovered by Operation Liberterra II, one thing is clear: the fight against human trafficking is far from over. But the success of this operation gives hope for a safer future. It shows how important it is for different organizations and governments to work together to solve this worldwide problem. The challenge now is to build on this success and create lasting changes, not just in Douala but in communities everywhere that face similar issues.

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For further information, please contact : 

• Franck Olivier Mbang, IOM Cameroon, Tel : 690366090, Email : fmbang@iom.int
• Gisèle MASSINA, IOM Cameroon, Tel : 699004516, Email : gmassina@iom.int