International human trafficking ring uncovered in Canada – TVP World

Following a tip from an undocumented Mexican worker, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), uncovered a huge international trafficking ring that operated in the Greater Toronto Area.

The OPP raided a property North of Toronto and rescued 64 Mexican migrants exploited by an international labor trafficking ring.

The workers were lured to Canada with promises of a better future. Instead, they were given mattresses on the floor, housed with dozens of others in bug-infested rooms, faced threats and, in some cases, according to police, sexual assault. They were bussed in to work at farms, factories and warehouses and forced to work long hours with little pay.

They were led to Canada with the promise of opportunity & a better life. But the reality was deplorable living conditions & exploitation.

Through Project Norte, our investigators rescued 64 Mexican nationals from an international labour trafficking ring. https://t.co/p5giuQIYoi pic.twitter.com/LR3Gei5HCK

— York Regional Police (@YRP) March 3, 2023

An extensive investigation took a few months. Five people have been arrested, including two Canadian citizens and three Mexican nationals. They face 44 charges between them including human trafficking, materially benefiting from trafficking people and participating in a criminal organization, among others. Two others remain wanted.

Migrant workers in Canada

Every year, Canada issues more than 30,000 temporary work permits to Mexicans, who comprise approximately 10% of Canada's migrant workforce. The majority are agricultural workers recruited through the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) that has been in place for nearly half a century. These workers, 96% of whom are men, travel to and from Canada each year as part of the popular scheme that the Mexican government administers with Canadian employers.

The relatively tightly managed SAWP contrasts with the loosely regulated private recruitment industry which mediates access to jobs in North America for Mexico's migrant workers.

According to an advocate for the migrant workers, Canada's immigration system has serious gaps that can leave the undocumented migrant workers fearful about coming forward about the exploitation they face. The federal government of Canada is currently working on a regularization program to grant status to undocumented migrants in Canada.

In Ontario, Canada's most populous province, migrant workers make up 41.6 percent of the agricultural labor force.

source:cbc.ca, minorityrights.org, migrationpolicy.org