Police help 18 women believed to be involved in Windsor sex trade

Numerous charges have been laid by police in Ontario following a national investigation to stop human trafficking, while providing information to people involved in the sex trade.

Operation Northern Spotlight was a five-day investigation in early October that involved 36 police services across the province.

Police laid 67 charges against 25 people.

In Windsor, police spoke to 18 women believed to be involved in the sex trade industry. Those women were from cities across Ontario and the United States, and they ranged in age from 20-40 years. All were provided safety plans and resources to exit the sex trade.

It is not known how many accepted the help from police and service agencies.

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Across the province, police also interviewed 16 people who were working in the sex trade as a minor against their will. Police provided information and attempted to connect them with agencies in the community to help remove them from the sex trade.

According the to OPP, a total of 207 police officers in Ontario and support staff engaged with 199 people and offered them information and contacts with community-based support agencies.

Police in Amherstburg, Chatham-Kent, LaSalle, London also participated in Northern Spotlight.