Sask. RCMP say 'horrifying' trafficking case not unusual in Canada

One of Saskatchewan's top RCMP officers says while the allegations arising from a human trafficking investigation are "horrifying" they are unfortunately not out of the ordinary when it comes to such crimes.

"This wouldn't be considered egregious in the context of other investigations that have happened across the country, which is very, very unfortunate, and it's very concerning," Supt. Glenn Church told CTV News. Church heads up the province's Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Team.

"I think that is why, as the RCMP, we've turned our minds toward focusing resources on this on these offences because there's a victim behind this that's exposed to extreme trauma," Church said.

Church's comments come a day after RCMP revealed two men have been charged after a Bangladeshi woman was allegedly forced to work up to 12 hours a day, seven days a week at restaurants in Gull Lake, Elrose and Tisdale.

CTV News confirmed one of the men, Sohel Haider, 52, is connected to Bob's Diner, in Elrose. Haider, along with Mohammad Masum, 41, is charged with trafficking a person. Masum also faces three counts of sexual assault.

While Church declined to comment on specifics of the investigation as the matter is before the courts, he said tips from people living in communities are key to trafficking investigations.

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"When somebody stands out who is not quite fitting, I think that's when people have to take note and then look for further indicators," Church said.

"Some of the things we look at, for human trafficking, would be the overall indication or the appearance that someone is not in control of themselves, that someone else is, is controlling their movements, and how they speak and how they act."

Church said red flags include signs of physical abuse or if someone is only allowed to move through the community under a watchful eye.

"Also, if someone isn't able to produce their own identification ... if they're going to a bank, or if they're going to the local license issuer and someone else's controlling their documentation," Church said.

According to Church, while many people are familiar with the crime of sex trafficking, instances of labour trafficking are on the rise in Canada.

"Labour trafficking often involves the exploitation of new Canadians or immigrants to the country that come through approved immigration tools, but then when they arrive to Canada, and in some cases into Saskatchewan, then exploited by the people that were supporting their arrival.

Manuela Valle-Castro is the director of the Division of Social Accountability at the University of Saskatchewan.

She says it’s important not to think of human trafficking solely in terms of policing.

“We need to stop thinking like there are some bad guys out there doing bad things, and we need the good guys to stop them,” Valle-Castro said.

“Because what we have is both a government that doesn't protect women and doesn't protect immigrants and doesn't protect immigrant labourers and gaps that leave people vulnerable to being exploited and trafficked.”

Andrew Allsopp is Vice President of NASHI, an anti-human trafficking organization in Saskatoon.

He says fear is one of the most powerful tools used by human traffickers.

“Traffickers are very expert at breaking a person down so they are totally in fear,” Allsopp said.