Cablegate: Press Reports Progress in Breaking Up Trafficking

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS MADRID 004093

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL SP
SUBJECT: PRESS REPORTS PROGRESS IN BREAKING UP TRAFFICKING
IN PERSONS NETWORKS

The Spanish daily ABC reported September 18 that the Spanish
National Police have dismantled one hundred illegal
immigration, document falsification, and prostitution
networks during 2004. Additionally, more than 300 people
have been arrested during the year by the Immigration Network
and False Documents Group within the National Police.
Arrests stopped or hindered human trafficking criminal
networks run by Eastern Europeans, primarily led by Romanians
but also by Albanians; South American networks run by
Ecuadorians, Peruvians, and Colombians; and Asian networks,
where the Chinese "mafia" is reportedly dominant. The
Spanish National Police broke up 70 criminal networks and
made 200 arrests during 2003. In 2004, the police are on
pace to arrest greater numbers of human traffickers according
to press reporting. The ABC report provides further possible
insights into human trafficking issues, which we will
investigate with GOS authorities in our discussions on TIP.
ARGYROS

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