Police Rescue 64 Mexicans From Human Trafficking Ring in Ontario

A large estate house that was raided by police as part of Project Norte. Sixty-four Mexican nationals have been rescued due to the operation that dismantled a human trafficking ring across the Greater Toronto Area, the York Regional Police said during a press conference at its headquarters on March 3, 2023. (York Regional Police)

Police have rescued 64 Mexican-born workers who were allegedly exploited for labour by a human trafficking ring that operated across the Greater Toronto Area. Seven people have been charged, including five arrested on multiple criminal charges, and the trafficking ring has been dismantled.

Police said the victims were living in “deplorable conditions” including overcrowding, with dozens of people sleeping on mattresses on the floor. They also suffered from a lack of food and were subjected to various forms of coercion and control, which include “isolation, a lack of freedom, being financially bound, threats, and sexual assault.”

“This case has affected everyone profoundly. Our members were shocked at the conditions that the victims were living in, and wanted nothing more [than] to do anything they could to assist them,” Deputy Chief Alvaro Almeida of the York Regional Police (YRP) said at a press conference on March 3.

On Feb. 8, police executed search warrants at five properties in the cities of Vaughan, Toronto, and Mississauga, as well as the Town of East Gwillimbury about 60 kilometres north of Toronto. This resulted in five individuals being arrested and charged.  Two other suspects remain at large. A list of the accused and their charges, as well as video and photos, are provided in a YRP press release.

Of the five arrested are two Canadian citizens: Tre Trinh, a 45-year-old male, and Thi Him Huyen, a 49-year-old female. The three other charged are all Mexican nationals: Jesus Navarrete Garcia, a 51-year-old male; Monserrat Monjaras, a female whose age is unknown; and Hiram Amaury Martinez Rodriguez, a 48-year-old male.

The police have issued warrants for Rosales Gomez, a 31-year-old male, and Garcia Galvan, a male whose age and location are unknown.

The successful rescue operation came after a months-long investigation, dubbed “Project Norte,” which began in November 2022 after the YRP received information of Mexican nationals being exploited for labour in the region. Numerous security agencies lent support to the investigation, including the Canada Border Services Agency and the Ontario Provincial Police, the release said.

False Promises

The criminal organization allegedly “enticed the victims into Canada” with false promises of well-paid work, a better living standard, and other opportunities like documentation, the police said. The victims ended up living in sub-standard conditions, and were exploited for manual labour at farms, factories, and warehouses across the Greater Toronto Area, according to a YRP press release.

Almeida urged other possible victims of human trafficking to seek help.

“People that have been trafficked and exploited in this way are often desperate. They’re scared to seek help. Worried that they may be the ones arrested and deported, and fearful of retribution from their traffickers,” he said.

“We’re here to send a message to anyone finding themselves in a similar situation, and that message is: ‘We are here to help.’”

On the day of the police operation, a victim assistance centre was set up in partnership with a local faith group, while a local business also prepared Mexican-style food for the victims at the centre. Among the 64 victims, 53 accepted the offer of assistance, YRP Det. Sgt. Gary McBride told reporters.

He also noted that the Mexican consulate in Toronto is in contact with its citizens to provide support and services.