Durham police yesterday said six males have been charged after the completion of a human trafficking investigation in Durham.
Members of the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) Human Trafficking Unit (HTU) launched an ongoing initiative, dubbed Project Firebird, to combat the purchase of sexual services from minors in Durham Region.
In January, Project Firebird saw multiple individuals arrange meetings for sexual services with minors, despite the suspects being fully aware that they were communicating with minors.
Six males were taken into custody without incident and 19 charges were laid.
All were released on an undertaking. Name and further details available at www.drps.ca.
Project Firebird
Project Firebird focuses on person(s) interested and willing to purchase sexual services from persons under 18-years of age. It also educates and supports victims and potential victims of these crimes and addresses concerns raised by our community members.
Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact D/Cst. Winsor of the Human Trafficking Unit at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5600.
The DRPS thanks the Ontario Government for its funding support of our Children at Risk of Exploitation (CARE) unit. Our CARE unit combines the expertise of police officers and child protection workers to identify, investigate, locate and engage with children and youth at high risk of child sex trafficking. If you or someone you know has been affected by human trafficking, please come forward to our investigators for support. The Region of Durham has established a support network for survivors, accessible through www.stopht.com. Parents and caregivers can also use this resource to educate children about recognizing the signs of human trafficking.
Victim Services of Durham Region (VSDR) offers confidential support without judgement, available at www.victimservicesdurham.ca.
Editor’s Note: Durham Post does not name or identify the accused as:
1. Of this time, they are suspect[s] and not convicted by a court, and
2. Sometimes charges are amended or dropped.
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