Agenzia Fides

Puno (Agenzia Fides) - The Observatory on Crime of the Public Prosecutor reported that in Peru there were 1.112 reported cases of human trafficking from January 2008 to July 2012, and thus is considered as the second most lucrative crime for organized crime. The note sent to Fides Agency by Radio Onda Azul in Puno, reports that more than half of the complaints are concentrated in Lima, Madre de Dios, Loreto, Puno and Piura. In addition, eight out of 10 victims of trafficking are minors between 13 and 17 years of age, and 5 traffickers out of 10 are women. The Head Office of the Prosecutor said that the best way to deal with this reality is to carry out a full investigation into the crime, starting from the past, and stressed the importance of collaboration between the public prosecutor and the national police. For this type of crime the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment from 8 to 15 years. The victims are used for the purposes of sexual or labor exploitation, for begging or organ trafficking. The Church has denounced this dramatic reality in different circumstances (see Fides 21/09/2012 and 25/08/2012), widespread especially in border areas. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 10/10/2012)