Ethiopian police have arrested a man accused of leading a multi-million-dollar international human trafficking network that, since 2018, has lured thousands of people to Libya with promises of onward travel to Europe.
Authorities allege that Yetbarek Dawit operated five detention warehouses in Libya, where migrants were reportedly tortured to pressure their families into sending additional money.
He was taken into custody along with nine suspected accomplices in the northern town of Shire, according to police. None of them have been formally charged in court so far.
Investigators say testimonies collected to date indicate the network may be linked to the deaths of more than 100 people and the sexual abuse of over 50 women.
Police stated that the arrests followed a complex cross-border investigation involving the Regional Operational Centre (Rock), an organization established to combat smuggling networks in East Africa and supported by funding from the European Union.
Ethiopian Federal Police noted that Yetbarek Dawit, who has not yet responded to the allegations, was wanted in multiple countries.
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