BRUSSELS, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Nine underage victims have been rescued during a joint operation against trafficking young women in Spain, supported by the European Police Office (Europol) and the Spanish authorities, Europol said in a press release Monday.
The action took place on Nov.14 in Barcelona and resulted in arresting 16 individuals and the seizure of two vehicles, counterfeit documents, mobile and electronic devices.
Europol contributed to the operation from the start of the investigation by providing operational support, intelligence analysis, as well as facilitating information exchange.
The investigation discovered that the members of the organized crime group recruited their victims from Bosnia and Herzegovina to be exploited in France, Italy and Spain through forced criminality.
The women traveled to Spain using counterfeit documents where they were trained in pickpocketing techniques and forced to commit thefts in crowded areas and on public transport.
