Local police forces joined together to help identify and assist possible victims of human trafficking as part of Operation Northern Spotlight.
Operation Northern Spotlight is a national initiative to engage with people who may be in exploitive situations and offer them assistance.
The Windsor Police Service, along with the OPP Essex County Crime Unit, the Amherstburg Police Service, and the LaSalle Police Service identified 13 individuals working in the sex industry locally. Of those individuals 11 accepted offers of support through a local organization called WEFiGHT.
Across Ontario 12 people were charged with 21 offences related to human trafficking.
Local services are among 46 police services across Ontario that took part in the operation in conjunction with an international operation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), RCMP and involved police services from Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia and the United Kingdom.
