In an article by Conor Gallagher, (Irish Times Friday 19 October 2018) we read of Europol warning Ireland about sophisticated organised crime gangs trafficking children from Nigeria to Ireland to work in the sex trade. The agency identified Nigerian organised crime gangs as one of the main groups involved in the trafficking of underage victims into the EU by exploiting the migrant crisis and using established criminal networks to ferry the children to Ireland and certain other northern European countries.

Between 2015 and 2017 European law enforcement agencies, including the Garda, identified 268 child trafficking cases involving 3,642 suspects and 985 victims, according to a report released yesterday.

In Europe, children account for over 20 per cent of the victims of trafficking, with most of them aged between 15 and 17.

The report, which was released to mark EU Anti-Trafficking Day, 18 October,  provides the most in-depth account of the child trafficking trade to date.

Nigerian gangs tend to target children in their native country. Methods include telling their families there is a well-paying job waiting for their children in the EU or offering the child an all-expenses-paid “trip”.

More at:  Situation Report on Criminal networks involved in the Trafficking and Exploitation of Underage Victims in the European Union 

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