Gov’t Arrests ‘Human Trafficking’ Suspects In Paynesville -Rescues Several Victims

By Bill W. Cooper
The Ministry of Labor (MoL) has arrested several suspected human traffickers and rescued multiple victims in a coordinated operation in Red-light, a suburb of the city of Paynesville.
The operation, which took place over the weekend, is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to combat and crack down on human trafficking, including the protection of the country’s vulnerable populations.
Human trafficking remains a pressing issue in Liberia, which many believe is being exacerbated by the increase in poverty, lack of education, and limited economic opportunities, among others.
Past and current governments have been under increasing pressure from local and international organizations to take more decisive action against trafficking networks, and this latest operation is now seen as a step in the right direction.
Labor Director of Trafficking in Persons (TIP), Nuho Kenneh, disclosed that the scenario was sparked a few days ago at the densely populated Red-light, where an angry crowd claimed to have gone to rescue about 19 individuals they suspected of being trafficked out of the country.
Briefing the Acting Minister, Othello Mansuo, regarding the incident, Director Kenneh also revealed that of the 19 suspected victims, 14 were children, including 7 boys and 7 girls, while the remaining 5 were all female adults.
Kenneth further indicated that 11 of the children were subsequently transferred to the care of an Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection for safekeeping and onward reunion with their respective parents.
According to him, the 5 women were forwarded to the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) for further scrutiny before being reunited with their respective families at an appropriate time by the Ministry.
He maintained that 3 of the suspected trafficking children, who were a little over three years old, were eventually turned over to their mothers for life survival through breastfeeding while State Security assisted the Ministry in finalizing an ongoing investigation into the matter.
Director Kenneh also commented on the alarming reports of TIP activities in South Eastern Liberia but assured full coordination with relevant state security and local and international partners in the fight against TIP in the country.
In response, Acting Minister Mansuo thanked Director Kenneh and the team for their timely response in arranging the situation and stressed the need for a speedy probe and possible prosecution of those suspected of the crime.
He further called for greater support and partnership with regional and international stakeholders in addressing Liberia’s TIP challenges and thereby thanked the ECOWAS for the initial US$30,000 grant provided to the Ministry last year to boost TIP operations in Liberia.