International operation reports more than 1,000 trafficking-related arrests
Law enforcement agencies said an international operation against human trafficking networks led to 1,024 arrests and the identification of more than 2,000 victims and potential victims, including 162 children. The results were released on July 6 by Europol, which coordinated the effort alongside Frontex and Interpol.
Code-named Operation Global Chain, the sweep ran from June 8 to 12 across 59 countries under the EU’s EMPACT framework, with Austria leading and Romania as co-leader; more than 40,000 officers took part. Of those arrested, 334 face charges directly related to human trafficking, while the remaining 690 involve associated offenses. The operation focused on trafficking for sexual exploitation, forced criminal activity, and forced begging, with particular attention to underage victims.