Koforidua: 15 women picked up over human trafficking, sex work
By DL News
Published
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The arrests, police say, were triggered by a complaint from a sex worker who alleged she was beaten for failing to meet a daily GH¢400 target set by her trafficker and her boyfriend.
Police in the New Juaben South Municipality have arrested 15 women, aged between 15 and 35, as part of an operation targeting human trafficking and commercial sex-related offences.
The arrests, police say, were triggered by a complaint from a sex worker who alleged she was beaten for failing to meet a daily GH¢400 target set by her trafficker and her boyfriend.
Briefing journalists at the Central Police Station in Koforidua on Tuesday, 10 February, the Municipal Commander, Superintendent Ransford Nsiah, said the report came from a Nigerian woman who claimed she was assaulted by her “mistress”, described locally as a “queen mother”, over the GH¢400 daily target.
He said police also arrested a man accused of building a house and running it as a brothel, allegedly charging GH¢25 a day from each occupant.
Police said the operation also led to the arrest of some landlords accused of converting apartments into brothels and charging tenants the same daily fee for using the rooms. Authorities have cautioned property owners against aiding such illegal activity.
The Municipal Crime Officer, ASP Asante Kusi Augustine, said the arrest of a 15-year-old was especially worrying and pointed to the growing involvement of minors in commercial sex.
He appealed to the public to share information that could help police trace and arrest more traffickers.
Police say those arrested remain in custody and are expected to be put before court soon, as the command steps up efforts to tackle trafficking and protect vulnerable people in the area.
