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Sudbury man faces human trafficking charges

A man arrested and being held in Greater Sudbury is facing human trafficking charges as part of a province-wide crackdown on the sex trade.
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A police raid Jan. 28 at a Sudbury resident resulted in four arrests and the seizure of cocaine, heroin, MDMA, fentanyl and a handgun. File photo
A man arrested and being held in Greater Sudbury is facing human trafficking charges as part of a province-wide crackdown on the sex trade.

Operation Northern Spotlight is co-ordinated, national investigation among police forces to suppress human trafficking. In Sudbury, police arrested a 45-year-old city man June 17. He's facing charges of:

-Human trafficking;
-Procuring a Prostitute;
-Administering noxious substance;
-Receiving material benefits from human trafficking; and,
-Knowingly advertising an offer to provide sexual services for consideration.

Sudbury was one of 18 police forces in Ontario to participate in phase three of Operation Northern Spotlight.

The first phase was an education program in January 2014, and the second phase last October saw nine people face similar charges.

Sudbury's participation in the provincial initiative involved members of the force's Break Enter and Robbery Unit (BEAR) and our Criminal Investigation Division (CID).

“This investigation included the execution of two search warrants,” police said in a news release Wednesday. “One search warrant was executed in the City of Greater Sudbury, while the second search warrant was executed in Brampton, Ontario.”

The Sudbury accused's next court appearance will be in bail court Friday morning at 10 a.m.

Sudbury police were one of 18 police services that pre-arranged to meet with people suspected of partaking in the sex trade, potentially against their will, at urban locations across Ontario, the news release said.

“During the co-ordinated investigations over a two-day period last week, police charged three people with 54 offences,” the release said.

“Police were also able to ensure the safety of five females who had been working in the sex trade as a minor or against their will, including three 15-year-olds, a 16-year-old and a 19-year-old. Ninety officers and support staff combined to interview 122 people – including 110 women and offered them information and contacts with community-based support agencies.”

Dozens of charges have been laid in the provincial initiative, including:

- Procuring or recruiting a person under 18 to provide sexual services;
-Advertising another person’s sexual services;
-Sexual Assault;
-Sexual Interference with a Person under 16 years of age;
-Printing, publishing or possessing with the intent to publish child pornography;
-Import, selling or distributing child pornography.

“During the initiative, a participating police service conducted an intelligence probe with a female in their jurisdiction for a possible intervention,” the release said. “Officers spoke with the female, who was in the company of a male. Further investigation revealed that the male was in possession of a loaded firearm and drugs. He was also wanted on an outstanding first degree murder warrant.

“This demonstrates how violent human trafficking investigations can be and the danger victims are in when being forced into prostitution.”
In addition to Sudbury, the following police services participated in this phase of Operation Northern Spotlight:

-Toronto Police Service
-Durham Region Police Service
-Guelph Police Service,
-Waterloo Regional Police Service
-Woodstock Police Service
-North Bay Police Service
-Thunder Bay Police Service
-Barrie Police Service
-Peel Regional Police
-Saugeen Shores Police Service
-Sarnia Police Services
-Stratford Police Service
-Windsor Police Service
-Ottawa Police Service
-OPP, Hamilton Police Service
-Halton Regional Police Service
-RCMP