In a nation wide coordinated investigation Winnipeg Police and 53 other police agencies, including the RCMP and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States worked together on Operation Northern Spotlight.
The operation is an ongoing investigation into human trafficking mainly involving young women who are working in the sex trade against their will.
This phase of the investigation took place over a period of six days in early October 2016 and happened in various municipalities across Canada.
Police charged 32 people with 78 offences. 16 sex trade workers under legal age, many under 16 or working against their will were also helped. Information and contacts with community-based support agencies where made available to all who were contacted during this investigation.
In Winnipeg, investigators charged 5 people for Obtaining Sexual Services for Consideration. 22 women, aged between 19 and 44, were interviewed in areas known to be frequented by sex trade workers, massage parlours and hotels located throughout the City of Winnipeg. Investigators believed that some of these women were under some level of control. They were offered appropriate community-based resources for assistance.
Nationally a wide range of charges were laid including Exercise Control, Make Child Pornography, Distribute Child Pornography, Forcible Confinement, Trafficking in Persons, Material Benefit Resulting from Trafficking in Persons, Withhold or Destroy Documents, Living off the Avails, Assault, Utter Threats, Obstruct Police, and Failure to Comply with Court Orders and Conditions including Breaches of Recognizance and Probation.
In Winnipeg, anyone with new information that might assist investigators is asked to contact the Counter Exploitation Unit (CEU) at 1-204-986-3464 or Email: WPS-CEU@winnipeg.ca
-News4 Staff-
