Operation Nawa Rescues Trafficked Children in Côte d’Ivoire

Operation Against Child Trafficking and Exploitation

76 children trafficked across West Africa were recently rescued in a joint operation by Interpol and law enforcement authorities in Côte d’Ivoire.  Gendarmes, police and forestry agents targeted cacao fields and illegal gold mines  The majority of the children came from Burkina Faso and Mali.   The operation led to the arrest and sentencing of eight traffickers – five men and three women.

“Operation Nawa shows what can be achieved by coordinating resources and we would especially welcome input from industries who want to help remove child labour from their supply chains,” said Michael Moran, the Head of INTERPOL’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation (HTCE) unit.  Read more…