Almost 350 cases of human trafficking revealed in Ukraine last year

Chief of the National Police of Ukraine Serhiy Kniazev said this, while presenting the annual results of activities to combat human trafficking, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Last year, we identified 346 cases of trafficking in human beings against 115 such cases in 2016. In addition, 367 victims of human trafficking were identified in 2017," Kniazev said.

He added that 161 men, 184 women, 22 minors had been among the victims.

Out of 346 cases of trafficking in human beings recorded in 2017, 163 cases related to drawing into criminal activities, 142 - sexual exploitation, 17 - labor exploitation, 7 - removal of organs, 6 – forced begging, 11 - trafficking in children.

In 2018, 51 cases of human trafficking have been already identified, and assistance has been rendered to 44 victims, Kniazev said.

In turn, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch noted that the United States would continue to support Ukraine in the fight against trafficking in human beings.

"We expect to see even more results [in combating human trafficking] this year," Yovanovitch said.

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