Partner with communities to outsmart human traffickers – police told
SP Ayaregah cautioned investigators against conducting shoddy or slow preliminary investigations, warning that weak evidence often results in poor prosecutorial files, dismissed charges or acquittals.
Superintendent of Police William Ayaregah, the Director of Anti-Human Trafficking Unit at Ghana's Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters. (Courtesy photo)
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The Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit at Ghana's Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, William Ayaregah, has warned that delays in investigating and prosecuting human trafficking cases traumatise survivors and erode public trust in the justice system.
While addressing Ugandan police investigators on Thursday at UNAFRI headquarters at Naguru, the Ghanaian Superintendent of Police urged law enforcement agencies to strengthen border surveillance through technology and intensify intelligence-led operations to counter increasingly sophisticated trafficking networks.
"Organised criminal networks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and technology-enabled, yet one of the key drivers of trafficking in persons remains ignorance of the crime and its consequences," he said.
SP Ayaregah made the remarks while delivering a lecture on lessons from Ghana in the management of trafficking in persons during the ongoing Capacity Building Training on Human Trafficking for the Uganda Police Force, held on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at the Uganda National Roster for Anti-Trafficking and Related Issues headquarters in Naguru, Kampala.
Addressing emerging threats, including cyber-enabled human trafficking, he urged detectives to prioritise intelligence-led rescue operations by building strong investigations supported by quality evidence and comprehensive case files.
"Successful prosecutions begin long before the courtroom. They start with thorough investigations, strong evidence, and investigators should commit to leaving no evidential gaps," he said.
Citing the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2024, SP Ayaregah noted that the number of detected trafficking victims worldwide increased by 25% between 2019 and 2022.
He said children account for 38% of detected victims globally, marking a significant increase compared to previous reporting periods.
Forced labour has emerged as the most commonly detected form of exploitation, accounting for 42% of identified cases and overtaking sexual exploitation in many regions. Sexual exploitation, however, remains widespread, representing 36% of detected victims globally.
SP Ayaregah noted that human trafficking is a complex transnational organised crime that requires coordinated responses at both national and international levels. He called on governments, security agencies and other stakeholders to strengthen collaboration in combating the vice.
Sharing Ghana's best practices in tackling trafficking in persons, he advocated for stronger multi-agency coordination, enhanced international partnerships, continuous capacity building, public awareness campaigns targeting schools, engagement with religious leaders, and wider use of television and radio programmes to educate communities.
"No single institution can combat trafficking alone. Together, we can continue strengthening our collective response to end human trafficking."
Gabrielle Massey, the Country Director for the Human Trafficking Institute Programme in Uganda, said investigations into human trafficking require a different approach from most criminal cases.
She explained that trafficking offences can be prosecuted even before exploitation is completed because the law recognises that the trafficking process itself constitutes harm.
It was also noted that women and children continue to be trafficked within their own countries, particularly from rural to urban areas. Participants heard that the misuse of certain cultural beliefs and traditional practices remains one of the underlying drivers of trafficking, with forced child marriages cited as a common example.
"Culture is not a defence. Practices, beliefs or traditions cannot justify the exploitation or abuse of another person,” Massey said.