Human trafficking has been transformed by the pandemic, Panama plays a transit role
"The issue of social networks, cyberspace, all of that was transformed and was used for a lot of exploitation of child pornography," said the regional director of Crime Stoppers.
The regional director of Crime Stoppers Panama , Alejo Campos, pointed out this Sunday that the crime of human trafficking had to be transformed during the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of the measures to close borders and quarantines.
He explained that in the face of this, transnational crime began to make use of different social networks , through which it used mechanisms to continue generating income as a result of this scourge.
"The issue of social networks, cyberspace, all that was transformed and was used for much exploitation of child pornography, sale of pornographic videos, and many other modalities through extortions on social networks that served so that these structures organized crime can continue to generate money from human trafficking, "Campos said in the Sunday show Cara a Cara.
He added that the pandemic is leaving an economic crisis throughout Latin America, especially the most vulnerable countries, with developing economies, which is leaving more people without jobs, without work, without savings, so people are there pending Whatever job opportunities may appear, however, many of these opportunities could be human trafficking structures that are recruiting potential victims.
“Here the flow is very clear, the flow of victims of human trafficking goes from the least developed countries with higher unemployment to the more developed ones, which have greater purchasing power to be able to pay for the services of sexual exploitation or sexual exploitation. exploitation of labor, organs or fluids that are extracted from people among other forms of trafficking and that is the route it has, "he said.
On the other hand, he detailed that regarding the issue of human trafficking, Panama plays a transit role mainly, with which the victims pass through the country, sometimes staying for a few days.
"There is also local trafficking in some type of exploitation, but this is a transit country more than anything, for the victims who take them to Asia, North America, Europe, because there they can get much more money than in Panama", he pointed.
The regional director of Crime Stoppers highlighted the work being carried out by the National Commission against Trafficking in Persons, where many institutions act at the same time “because it is a very complex crime to deal with and it must be approached from various perspectives and from various institutions at the same time".
He explained that in the face of this, transnational crime began to make use of different social networks , through which it used mechanisms to continue generating income as a result of this scourge.
"The issue of social networks, cyberspace, all that was transformed and was used for much exploitation of child pornography, sale of pornographic videos, and many other modalities through extortions on social networks that served so that these structures organized crime can continue to generate money from human trafficking, "Campos said in the Sunday show Cara a Cara.
He added that the pandemic is leaving an economic crisis throughout Latin America, especially the most vulnerable countries, with developing economies, which is leaving more people without jobs, without work, without savings, so people are there pending Whatever job opportunities may appear, however, many of these opportunities could be human trafficking structures that are recruiting potential victims.
“Here the flow is very clear, the flow of victims of human trafficking goes from the least developed countries with higher unemployment to the more developed ones, which have greater purchasing power to be able to pay for the services of sexual exploitation or sexual exploitation. exploitation of labor, organs or fluids that are extracted from people among other forms of trafficking and that is the route it has, "he said.
On the other hand, he detailed that regarding the issue of human trafficking, Panama plays a transit role mainly, with which the victims pass through the country, sometimes staying for a few days.
"There is also local trafficking in some type of exploitation, but this is a transit country more than anything, for the victims who take them to Asia, North America, Europe, because there they can get much more money than in Panama", he pointed.
The regional director of Crime Stoppers highlighted the work being carried out by the National Commission against Trafficking in Persons, where many institutions act at the same time “because it is a very complex crime to deal with and it must be approached from various perspectives and from various institutions at the same time".