The Ghana Police Service has rescued 110 victims of human trafficking in 2026, with the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit warning of deceptive schemes used to lure unsuspecting Ghanaians into exploitation.
Director of the Criminal Investigations Department’s Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, Superintendent William Ayariga, said traffickers were using online romance scams, forced involvement in cybercrime and fraudulent overseas job offers to recruit victims.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Thursday, October 22, he urged Ghanaians to verify foreign employment offers before committing money or travelling, even when the opportunities were introduced by friends and acquaintances.
“Let me quickly put it on record that this year alone the anti human trafficking of the Ghana Police Service has secured 110 victims,” he said.
Superintendent Ayariga explained that some perpetrators exploit existing relationships, including friendships with former schoolmates, to convince people that lucrative employment opportunities are available in countries such as Canada, Japan, the United States and France.
He said victims were often referred to agents who demanded substantial payments under the pretext of processing travel documents and employment arrangements.
In some cases, prospective victims were told that a company would cover part of the cost, leaving them to pay the balance before travelling.
However, instead of being taken to their promised destinations, some victims were transported to other West African countries, including Nigeria, where their passports and other travel documents were confiscated.
According to the officer, victims were then told to engage in online activities instead of the jobs they had been promised, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and making it difficult for them to return home.
Superintendent Ayariga said the police were continuing efforts to rescue victims and prosecute those responsible for trafficking offences.
He cited convictions secured by the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, including a separate case in which an offender was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment with hard labour.
The police have urged the public to exercise caution when considering overseas employment opportunities, particularly offers that require large upfront payments or involve intermediaries whose credentials have not been independently verified.
The unit’s warning comes as traffickers continue to use employment promises and personal relationships to persuade victims to travel, sometimes concealing the activities they will be forced to undertake once they arrive at their destinations.
