The Ethiopian Federal Police has arrested a suspected international human trafficking kingpin, Yitbarek Dawit, along with nine accomplices, following a wide-ranging cross-border investigation.
The announcement of his arrest was made on Monday. Authorities allege the network was responsible for trafficking more than 3,000 people, causing over 100 deaths and the sexual abuse of more than 50 women.
The arrests mark the culmination of a coordinated international operation involving intelligence-sharing with the Regional Operational Centre in Support of the Khartoum Process. The main suspect was apprehended in Shire, in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, after reportedly operating under multiple aliases across Africa and Europe to evade detection.
Investigators say the syndicate, active since 2018, targeted vulnerable migrants from countries including Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Kenya and Somalia. Victims were trafficked to detention centres in Libya, where they were subjected to extreme abuse, including torture, starvation and sexual violence while being held for ransom.
Authorities identified more than 70 individuals linked to the global network through digital tracking and intelligence analysis. Financial investigations further revealed that the syndicate controlled illicit assets exceeding 3 billion Birr, prompting court-ordered asset freezes and seizures.
The case has now been transferred to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution, with evidence drawn from over 100 victim testimonies and international sources across Europe and North America. Police have urged continued public vigilance, underscoring the importance of cooperation in dismantling human trafficking networks.