MORE than 80 alleged human traffickers have been arrested in Bahrain within the space of 18 months.
Nineteen of those were detained between January 1 and June 9 this year, according to a senior Interior Ministry official.
Another 67 individuals were arrested last year, including 34 women and 33 men, revealed Anti-Human Trafficking and Protection of Public Moral Values acting director Lieutenant Colonel Abdulwahab Rashid.
He said a total of 19 women, who were victims of human traffickers, had been rescued in just over five months this year.
That compares with 38 victims, 37 women and one man, during the whole of 2017.
“Thirty-two cases were reported in 2017, while the number of victims was 38 of different nationalities – of which 37 were women and one was a man,” said Lt Col Rashid.
“A total of 67 suspects, including 34 women and 33 men, were accused in those cases.”
Speaking to the ministry’s Al Amn publication, he said many of those cases had been reported to a hotline (17718888) that was dedicated to combating human trafficking.
Others were brought to the attention of authorities by foreign diplomats working in Bahrain.
“The department, since its establishment, had a large number of suspects who were referred to the Public Prosecution, in addition to individuals who were sentenced to jail terms by a court,” Lt Col Rashid.
He added department staff had been trained to identify victims and co-operated with law enforcement in countries that were considered to be a known source of human trafficking.
Of the 19 suspected traffickers arrested between January 1 and June 9 this year, seven were women.
“Investigators are deployed at locations suspected to host human trafficking activities, especially when the department gets a tip-off about victims who are forced into prostitution,” added Lt Col Rashid.
“When those victims are rescued, police work directly with their embassies and they all are referred to the Dar Al Aman Shelter until the end of their cases.”
Those convicted of human trafficking face a maximum jail sentence of 10 years and a fine of up to BD10,000.
Meanwhile, a new regional centre dedicated to fighting human trafficking is due to open in Bahrain in October.
It is being spearheaded by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and its launch is set to coincide with a high-level United Nations (UN) visit.
The LMRA is waging its own war on trafficking and has separately referred 22 suspected cases to the Public Prosecution in the first six months of this year.
Last week the GDN reported that more than 45 manpower agencies had been shut down in Bahrain over the past four years for breaching operating rules, including 13 that faced prosecution for alleged human trafficking.
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