Ontario police announced Wednesday the dismantling of a human trafficking ring that allegedly lured Mexican workers into its nets and then forced them, through fraud and coercion, to work for shots at recycling centers in Quebec, from Ontario and Alberta.
Three men and a woman were arrested on May 16 and face a series of criminal charges related to human trafficking, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said. The suspects, Miroslaw Blachuta (72), Francisco Eluid Antonio-Olvera (33), Mikhael Akin (53) and Floriberta Sarmiento (27) are residents of the Greater Toronto Area.
The investigation, called Project Foxtrot, began on February 13, thanks to a tip received from an immigrant and refugee aid group. “They were concerned about the treatment of certain people,” OPP Detective Inspector Jordan Whitesell said in an interview with The Press.
“We were able to access the victims easily, and all the credit goes to our investigators, who are extremely talented, as well as our police officers, who have a very varied linguistic profile to come into contact with different communities,” added Ms. Whitesell.
According to the police, the investigation revealed that Mexican workers were recruited online thanks to promises of good wages and work permits in Canada.
Once in the country, they were housed in rented accommodation for short-term stays across Canada, as well as in the basement of one of the suspects in Ontario. The indictment specifies that the crimes with which the defendants are charged began in late September or early October.
Employers in the dark
The victims worked in sorting centers for recyclable materials across Canada, including in Lévis, Quebec, according to the OPP, which obtained the assistance of the Quebec City Police Service for its investigation. The names of the companies involved have not been disclosed, but the police say the employers were unaware of the status of these vulnerable workers and that the hiring had been made through external labor placement services.
The suspects allegedly took money from the workers’ pay, which was already lower than they had been promised. “Through fraud and coercion, the suspects tricked the victims into thinking they couldn’t leave,” said Jordan Whitesell.
Project Foxtrot exposes the exploitation of human trafficking victims in plain sight.
Detective Inspector Jordan Whitesell, Ontario Provincial Police
Three victims, men between the ages of 27 and 42, received support services from a refugee assistance center after being rescued by the police.
One of the suspects, Miroslaw Blachuta, is a registered company director of a non-profit organization called TLIO (for Truth Love Inspiration Organization) which aims to “relieve poverty” in developing countries by providing food, health care, drinking water and help with agriculture. In its incorporation documents, the organization also says it wants to fight poverty in Canada by providing shelters for the homeless and immigrant support services. Available documentation does not indicate whether the organism was actually active, and attempts to The Press to reach another administrator were unsuccessful.