Immigration chief raises alert over increasing human trafficking and organ harvesting activities

The Officer-in-Charge of the Anti-Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Person (AHSTIP) Unit of the Aflao Sector Command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Assistant Superintendent of Immigration (ASI.) Justice Kudzo Normeshie has cautioned the public about a rise in human trafficking and organ harvesting across African borders.

“We hear about organ harvesting cases, but it’s rather unfortunate that the victims do not live to tell their stories and assist with investigations. People are often lured with juicy job offers in other countries and eventually fall prey to organ harvesters,” he told The Ghana Report in an exclusive interview.

A.S.I. Normeshie further explained that most times, after entering the country, organ harvesters and people with criminal intentions tend to familiarise themselves with indigenes and, after gaining their trust, lure them and eventually take advantage of them by either kidnapping them or eventually killing them.

The immigration chief reechoed the campaign and public awareness on human trafficking on June 7, 2024, at the commemoration of the 2024 African Border Day held at the Aflao Border.

“On this day, the International Centre for Safe Migration, in collaboration with the Anti-Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Person AHSTIP Unit of the Aflao Sector Command of the Ghana Immigration Service, wishes to draw attention and create awareness on the rise of human trafficking and organ harvesting, which happens across the African borders.”

ASI Normeshie explained that several factors trigger people to migrate, but it’s rather unfortunate that some of these migrants fall victim to human traffickers and organ harvesters.

“….. girls, and women end up falling into the hands of traffickers and smugglers who promise them lucrative jobs but end up exploiting them sexually, through forced prostitution, forced pornography, baby harvesting, forced labour and in the worst case, for organ harvest.”

“The boys and men are equally exploited through forced labour, forced criminal activities such as cybercrime, perpetuating fraud activities, as well as organ harvest in worse cases.”

“The children are mostly pushed into forced begging, which we can witness in the big cities within the sub-region, begging for money in traffic-congested areas,” he said.

A.S.I. Normeshie added that the Anti-Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Person (AHSTIP) Unit of the Ghana Immigration Service, Aflao Sector Command, in its quest to promote the global compact on safe, orderly, and proper migration and to prevent, protect, and suppress these acts, has over the years rescued several victims of trafficking and smuggling, reunited them with their families, and referred perpetrators to the Headquarters for prosecution.

The officer also lauded the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection for providing the Anti-Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Person (AHSTIP) Unit with a human trafficking transit shelter facility at Aflao, stating that the lack of proper shelter for the victims made it impossible for the service to keep them (the victims) during the period of investigation.

The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection handed over the shelter to the AHSTIP unit on May 29, 2024.

A.S.I. Normeshie disclosed that the shelter facility better positions the AHSTIP Unit of the GIS Aflao Sector Command to protect these vulnerable migrants, provide them with psychological counselling and medical attention, and effectively prosecute perpetrators.

The officer further called on corporate institutions and individuals to assist and donate relief items for the well-being of the victims of human trafficking at the transit shelter facility.