MOGADISHU (SD) – At least 27 people including two women have been arrested after Somali police officers launched anti-human trafficking operations in Somali capital, police said Sunday.

Speaking to media, Police spokesman Sadiq Aden Doodishe said the suspects linked to human trafficking were nabbed following tips off by the public.

“The human trafficking syndicate has been operating the capital for a while, the police officers acting on a tip off, have successfully arrested the operators. Our officers are carrying out investigations into their cases and soon they will be taken to court to face charges,” said Doodishe.

Human Trafficking in Somalia is a widespread issue.

In late 2020, authorities in Puntland said they had rescued over 300 children who had been abducted from their families in the hope of being given rewarding jobs only to end up in the hands of human traffickers who use the children for among others, organ harvesting.

The provisional constitution prohibited slavery, servitude, trafficking, and forced labor under Article 14. Article 29(6) under the provisional constitution prohibited the use of children in armed conflict.

 In September 2017, Somaliland endorsed a draft human trafficking law designed in consultation with an international organization.

 In November 2017, Puntland ratified a human trafficking legislative framework after three years of consultations with an international organization.