Superintendent William Ayariga, the Director of the Anti-Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service, has revealed the models used by human traffickers to lure unsuspecting Ghanaians.
According to Superintendent William Ayariga, criminals are increasingly using fake travel opportunities and romance scams to lure unsuspecting victims into human trafficking networks.
He revealed that traffickers often pose as friends, acquaintances or romantic partners living abroad, convincing their targets.
Superintendent Ayariga disclosed that financial exploitation often begins before victims leave Ghana, stressing that perpetrators demand payments under the pretext of processing travel documents, securing employment or arranging overseas opportunities.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Thursday, October 22, Superintendent Ayariga stated, “Human trafficking as a crime is on the rise, and a lot of people are falling victim. The perpetrators are using different models to lure unsuspecting Ghanaians into trafficking. They are using models such as romance scams and travel abroad scams.
“The travel abroad scams are on the increase. It is mostly carried out by friends and acquaintances. They will call and tell you that they are in Canada, the USA, Japan or France. They will tell you that the company they work with needs staff, and so they will refer you to an agent, and they will demand money.
“After paying the money, they are lured to other West African countries and all their documents are confiscated on arrival, but we are working hard to stop it.”
In related news, COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), has blown an alarm on fraudulent football contracts linked to human trafficking, urging young athletes to exercise extra caution.
COP Lydia Yaako Donkor urged young athletes to exercise extra caution when considering overseas offers that promise lucrative football contracts, international trials and scholarships.
According to COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, sports must build dreams, not become a trap for human trafficking.
In a social media post on X, COP Lydia Yaako Donkor disclosed that criminals are exploiting the dreams of young people by using such offers to deceive and traffic them.
COP Lydia Yaako Donkor in his post wrote, “SPORTS MUST BUILD DREAMS, NOT BECOME A TRAP FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
Every young athlete dreams of an opportunity to succeed. For some, it is a professional football contract, an international trial, or a scholarship abroad. Unfortunately, criminal networks are exploiting these dreams to deceive and traffic vulnerable young people.
I delivered an address on “Addressing Human Trafficking in Sports in Ghana” at a training programme supported by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, focused on strengthening the capacity of officers to identify, investigate, and prevent human trafficking.
In my remarks, I emphasised the need for parents, coaches, football academies, sports administrators, and young athletes to remain vigilant. Promises of international contracts, scholarships, and professional opportunities must be carefully verified. No young person should lose their freedom, dignity, or future while pursuing a sporting dream.
At the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), we remain committed to strengthening intelligence-led investigations, protecting victims, and working with sporting institutions and international partners to identify and dismantle trafficking networks.
Sports should remain a pathway to opportunity, discipline, and national pride. As we strengthen Ghana’s fight against human trafficking, our responsibility is to ensure that young talents are protected from exploitation and given the opportunity to pursue their dreams safely.
Let us protect their dreams, safeguard their future, and ensure that no child becomes a victim of trafficking in the name of sports”.
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