A national report is finding Belleville is a major hub and departing point for sex trafficking and human trafficking.
The 30-page investigative report from the Thomson Reuters news agency and the Globe and Mail looked into the connection between human and sex trafficking with missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
Through that, they found the province of Ontario as one of the areas victims originate from and a main source to western provinces such as Alberta.
A Belleville to Edmonton route was cited as a key transportation corridor, along with Toronto to Vancouver, Edmonton to Fort McMurray, Alberta and Calgary to Edmonton.
Anyone with information about suspected human trafficking is encouraged to contact the Belleville Police Service or Quinte Crime Stoppers.
Belleville Police have released the following statement to our newsroom,
Belleville Police recognizes that, as a community located along one of Ontario’s busiest transportation corridors, our region can be impacted by crimes that cross municipal and provincial boundaries, including human and sex trafficking. Our investigators actively investigate reports of human and sex trafficking and related offences and take all information received seriously.
The Belleville-to-Edmonton route referenced in the article is one of several transportation corridors identified through data analysis. These corridors reflect movement patterns, and communities along major highways can be impacted by organized criminals who exploit transportation networks to move victims between locations.
The Belleville Police Service remains committed to identifying victims, holding offenders accountable, and working with provincial, national, and community partners to address human and sex trafficking. While we cannot comment on specific ongoing investigations, all reports are assessed and investigated appropriately. Anyone with information about suspected human trafficking is encouraged to contact the Belleville Police Service or Crime Stoppers.
The full report can be found at this link with a subscription.
