Irish Link As Child Trafficking Ring Targeted

A global investigation has succeeded in destroying an international child trafficking ring.

One suspect has been arrested by gardaí as part of the investigation - which involved six police forces – and has broken up one elements of this trade in vulnerable children.

Dutch police announced last night that 19 arrests of suspected traffickers were made in Holland, Spain Belgium, Britain, the United States and Ireland.

It said Nigerian children, controlled through voodoo threats, were trafficked into Holland and forced to work as prostitutes in several European countries including France, Italy and Spain.

The suspect arrested in Ireland was held on a European Arrest Warrant and is due back before the High Court next week.

However, Dutch officers said there is no evidence of any children trafficked into Ireland.

This investigation into the disappearance of Nigerian children in Holland has been ongoing for over a year.

It uncovered a child trafficking ring whereby Nigerian children, mostly girls, controlled by voodoo, were sent to Amsterdam with fake documents and told to apply for asylum.

The young girls were then moved from care centres and forced into prostitution.

More than 130 went missing and several victims have been found on the streets of France, Italy and Spain as well as Holland.

In a series of raids the Dutch found 10 migrants and arrested 13 people, while the six other suspects have been arrested in Spain, Belgium, Britain, the United States and the one in Ireland.

(BMcC)