A 26-year-old Toronto man faces charges related to human trafficking after being found in a Greater Sudbury hotel with two women, including a minor.
The OPP said in a press release that the information received on June 20 by the Provincial Joint Forces Strategy led by the Human Trafficking Intelligence led to an investigation into the allegations of trafficking in victims.
Earlier this week, an individual was located at the Greater Sudbury Hotel with two women, including a minor. The women received help through a victim services agency and are now in a safe place.
The 26-year-old Toronto man was charged with:
- Trafficking in persons under the age of 18 Article 279,011;
- Trafficking in human beings (adults) article 279.01;
- Material benefit derived from trafficking in persons under the age of 18, article 279.02 (2);
- Material benefit derived from human trafficking article 279.02;
- Advertising sexual services Article 286.4;
- Retaining or destroying documents related to trafficking in persons under the age of 18, Article 279.03 (2);
- Retention or destruction of document in relation to human trafficking, article 279.03 (1); i,
- Assault Article 266.
Defendant remains in jail awaiting bail hearing. Police suspect there may be people with knowledge and encourage anyone with additional information to contact the OPP’s non-emergency number at 1-888-310-1122 or their local police. If you or someone you know may be a victim of these crimes, call 9-1-1 immediately.
The investigation was supported by members of the Toronto Police Service, the Peel Regional Police Service, the Greater Sudbury Police Service, the Kingston Police, the Peterborough Police Service, the Regional Police Service Waterloo, Anishinabek Police Service and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
The units involved in the OPP included the Human Anti-Trafficking Unit, the Physical Surveillance Unit, the Underwater Research and Recovery Unit, the Digital Forensic Unit, and the Recidivist Conditional Enforcement Unit.
The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-833-900-1010. Human trafficking resources are available at canadiancentretoendhuantrafficking.ca.