The alleged head of a Brazilian gang of people-traffickers has been arrested in Belgium as part of an international investigation. The arrest was made in the course of raids at several locations. The Belgian investigation focuses on the exploitation of Latin American prostitutes, the federal public prosecutor's office confirmed to VRT NEWS, weekly Knack and daily De Standaard.
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People-trafficking gang lynchpin arrested in Belgium
Federal judicial police from Brussels carried out raids at several places across the country this morning: in Brussels, Liège, Flémalle, Halle, Eigenbrakel, Ostend, Aalst, Geraardsbergen and Ghent. The raids form part of an investigation headed by the federal prosecutor's office
Five people were detained for questioning. Earlier, on Tuesday, 26 November, two Brazilian nationals were also arrested. One of the two is believed to be the leader of the gang.
The federal prosecutor's office says its actions have dismantled a Brazilian prostitution network. That network operates in Belgium but also in Croatia and its native Brazil.
Human trafficking-cum-money laundering
The investigation focuses on human trafficking and money laundering and is being conducted in the three countries mentioned. It was launched in 2023.
Mauricio G. was the first to be arrested in Brazil in September this year. Mauricio G. is no stranger to Belgian justice. Earlier he lived in Belgium for a while working as a pimp and piling up several convictions.
It is perhaps also for that reason that he left Belgium in 2022 only to continue his criminal activities of human trafficking and human smuggling in Brazil. Police and the judiciary also assume that he climbed the hierarchy of his criminal organisation that is said to have some 40 members.
Women and transgender people
In Brazil, in addition to Mauricio G., 2 other people from the same network were also arrested. In all, some 20 victims have been identified.
The organisation recruits women and trans people in Brazil and Colombia in order to set them to work as prostitutes in Belgium and Europe.
Brazilian police speak of Brazilian women being the victims of ‘sexual exploitation and being subjected to forced labour in Europe.’
The recent arrests form part of this investigation. The lynchpin is believed to have acted as the head of the Belgian branch of the Brazilian gang. His arrest and the earlier arrest of Mauricio G. in Brazil are believed to have dealt the gang a heavy blow.
(This article is published as part of the journalistic research project Lost in Europe)