19.12.2024
2 min
891
Law enforcement agencies from 20 countries conducted an international operation to identify human trafficking victims online. During the investigation of digital platforms, authorities identified dozens of potential victims, five suspects, and six possible criminal networks.
The operation took place as part of the fifth international EMPACT Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) hackathon, dedicated to combating human trafficking. The investigation brought together 40 law enforcement specialists from 20 countries to examine how criminals use the internet to identify, recruit, and exploit people.
Investigators focused primarily on digital services that human traffickers may use to find potential victims, facilitate sexual and labor exploitation, and force individuals into criminal activities.
Investigators found that social media platforms, dating apps, online marketplaces, and job search websites are actively used for these purposes. Criminals post fake job vacancies, publish misleading employment advertisements, create fraudulent dating profiles, and promise high salaries to lure people into their traps. These platforms allow traffickers not only to recruit potential victims but also to conceal their exploitation activities and coordinate their operations.
According to Europol, the fifth hackathon resulted in the identification of 51 potential human trafficking victims, five suspects, and six possible criminal networks involved in human exploitation.
During the investigation, specialists examined 26 online platforms for signs of sexual and labor exploitation, as well as trafficking in human organs. They also monitored 77 social media accounts and examined 166 entities, including digital platforms, individuals, usernames, geographical locations, and phone numbers.
Digital traces left behind by criminals played an important role in the investigation. These traces enable law enforcement agencies to connect cases that initially appear unrelated and uncover links between members of criminal networks operating across different countries.
All collected information was forwarded to the relevant national law enforcement authorities. The findings will be used in further investigations aimed at exposing international criminal organizations and identifying additional potential victims.
This was the fifth international EMPACT hackathon focused on detecting human trafficking in the digital environment. The previous event took place in September 2025 and brought together specialists from 26 countries.
During that operation, law enforcement officers examined 44 online platforms and identified 33 potential victims and 31 suspected criminals. Investigators also uncovered 302 URLs and 137 social networks linked to human trafficking.
The results of the latest operation once again highlight the growing importance of digital investigations in combating international criminal networks. While the internet remains a channel for recruiting and exploiting people, it also provides law enforcement agencies with opportunities to uncover digital evidence, establish connections between criminals, and identify potential victims.
