Twelve Ontarians and one American arrested in Niagara for youth trafficking: police

Thirteen men were arrested at a Niagara Falls hotel and charged with youth trafficking, police say.

The suspects, aged 20 to 60, face charges related to luring children, obtaining sexual services and inciting the sexual exploitation of a youth, Niagara police said .

The arrests took place between January 31 and February 3, after the Niagara Regional Police Service's Human Trafficking Unit contacted youths suspected of offering sexual services for sex online. 'money.

The men arrested are mostly from the Niagara region. One man is from Windsor, Ontario, and another is from Buffalo, New York, according to police. Their names have not been published due to court-ordered publication bans.

“These arrests demonstrate the dedication of our members to ensuring the protection of some of the most vulnerable members of our community, sending a strong message that predatory behavior associated with human trafficking will not be tolerated in Niagara,” said the Police Chief Bill Fordy in a statement. statement.

Niagara police say they have been assisted by the Ontario Provincial Police's joint anti-trafficking intelligence force and border enforcement team, as well as the Canada Border Services Agency, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the RCMP.

According to the Penal Code, human trafficking is defined as the recruitment, transfer, receipt, detention, concealment or harboring of a person and the exercise of control with a view to their exploitation.

Niagara, an “epicenter” of traffic, according to the YWCA

The YWCA Niagara Region describes Niagara as an “epicenter” of human trafficking for sexual, labor and domestic exploitation.

The branch works with local police, doctors and firefighters to recognize sexual exploitation, with survivors to provide resources and support, and with the broader community to prevent trafficking.

The reason for its prevalence in the region is “multi-layered,” YWCA program director Kayla Mayer told CBC Hamilton.

But a major factor, she added, is that “transportation is not a problem” for traffickers.

The Niagara region borders the United States and is connected to the 401 corridor — a highway that runs between Windsor and the Quebec border and a common route for traffickers, Mayer said. People can also be trafficked via the Port Colborne waterways that connect to Lake Erie.

The Peace Bridge is one of the border crossings that connect the Niagara region to the United States (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press)

The Niagara tourist region also has a plethora of hotels and motels where traffic can remain hidden, Mayer said. There are also farms where vulnerable workers can be victims of labor trafficking, which often occurs alongside sex trafficking, she added.

Mayer described human trafficking as a “silent crime” because it is often difficult to investigate or bring charges. Investigators must rely largely on the testimony of survivors who may not want justice through the court system.

Many survivors choose not to report it at all, she said.

“A lot of trust has been broken within our social and policing systems,” Mayer said.

Niagara police said this week they are using intelligence gathering and a “victim-centered approach” to investigate the recent charges.

The arrest of 13 people by police is rare and will help slowly rebuild trust with survivors, Mayer said.