LYON, France – A three-year investigation has concluded with police in Colombia arresting six individuals believed to be behind the trafficking and sexual exploitation of Colombian and Venezuelan women. The criminal group was first identified in 2018 by Panama’s Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants Division, following the discovery of several victims who had been promised jobs as waitresses, only to have their passports confiscated and be exploited. They were often denied food, slept on the floor and would regularly see their so-called “debts” for “travel and accommodation” increase arbitrarily. The women, who were taken into protective care, all came