Guinea-Bissau police free 71 trafficking victims
Operation Astra dismantled a network that promised jobs abroad and forced victims into pyramid schemes.
Police in Guinea-Bissau rescued 71 people from various countries on October 22, 2026, dismantling a human trafficking ring and arresting four suspects. The operation, named 'ASTRA', targeted two houses in the north of the capital city, Bissau.
The Judicial Police (PJ) stated that the network lured victims with promises of help with emigration and obtaining jobs in Canada, Europe, and the United States. Victims from Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Togo, Senegal, and Sierra Leone were held in Bissau and forced into pyramid schemes, recruiting others via social media, according to PJ agent António Gomes. The PJ provided false office details in Canada, the US, and Portugal to appear legitimate.
Interpol's information aided the operation, which investigators described as having a presence in several West African countries. PJ spokesperson Braima Cissé said victims would be handed over to their respective embassies or would need to contact family to return home.
Why it matters71 individuals from six West African nations were freed after being trafficked and exploited in Guinea-Bissau.