Employees of the General Directorate “Fight against Organized Crime“ participated in an international operation against human trafficking for the purpose of labor exploitation. The operation covered 34 countries and was conducted between September 14 and 20, 2026. 27 people suspected of human trafficking were detained, and 248 victims and potential victims were identified.
The operation is led by Sweden with the participation of Europol and the European Labour Office. For a week, police and border guards, labor inspectors, representatives of social security institutions and tax administrations worked together.
The checks were aimed at sectors with an increased risk of exploitation - construction, agriculture, hospitality, beauty salons and massage studios. 16,031 officers participated in the operation, carrying out 137,810 checks on people, objects, vehicles and documents.
248 victims and potential victims identified
Among those suspected of trafficking are citizens of Hungary, Vietnam, Montenegro and the Netherlands. Men make up 74% of this group. Another 86 people were arrested for related crimes, including illegal employment and prostitution.
Most of the identified victims and potential victims are citizens of Vietnam, China, India and the Philippines. 182 new investigations have been opened.
Nearly three-quarters of the victims and potential victims are men. Most often, exploitation was found in construction - 28% of cases, hospitality - 21%, and agriculture - 8%.
For women, cases were most often found in beauty salons and massage studios. Investigators have also uncovered cases of trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, forced begging and exploitation for domestic labor.
Among those identified are minors
Minors represent 5% of the identified victims and potential victims. They were exploited through forced begging, construction work and sexual exploitation.
“While people should not be sold, exploitation takes place in the buildings, shops and restaurants we walk past every day,“ said Magnus Brunner, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration. He said the involvement of over 16,000 officers had helped uncover cases of exploitation and protect victims.
The operation was carried out within the framework of the European Multidisciplinary Platform to Combat Criminal Threats. Investigations into the identified cases are ongoing.