MPCD campaign against trafficking gets int’l support

Kathmandu, March 23

The Metropolitan Police Crime Division supported by non-profit international organisations has initiated an all-out effort to prevent human trafficking, and identify, rescue, protect and rehabilitate victims at home and abroad.

Speaking to The Himalayan Times, SSP Sarbendra Khanal, MPCD in-charge, said this first-of-its-kind initiative came to fruition due to the selfless help of the UN agencies, International Organisation for Migration, International Labour Organisation, Nepal-based foreign embassies and Nepali diplomatic missions abroad.

He appreciated the support extended by such agencies to combat transnational dimension of human trafficking.

Police, stakeholders and international organisations had vowed to make concerted efforts to combat the global scourge during the three-day international seminar on human trafficking organised in the capital in October 2015.

Human trafficking is the second largest criminal industry after drug trafficking. No country is immune to the criminal syndicates of human trafficking.

“Human trafficking is a global problem and should be tackled accordingly.

As Nepal is a source country of this scourge and thousands of Nepalis, especially women, have been left to fend for themselves in foreign land, the international organisations have showed their concern and appreciated the role played by the MPCD,” said SSP Khanal.

The US Embassy recently called at the MPCD and thanked it for cracking down on fraudsters who cheated people with the promise of US visa.

What is more worth mentioning is that Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies has also come forward to help the police find a way out of this global scourge.

The MPCD has also started deploying its personnel in and around the Tribhuvan International Airport and New Bus Park, which SSP Khanal said were the first legs of the victims before being trafficked abroad.

“The government does not have exact data as to how many Nepalis have been awaiting rescue. But, we believe that the number should be at thousands,” he said.

Bearing in mind the problems, the MPCD has also set up a hotline (1177) to collect information about human trafficking which has been receiving an average of 30 calls daily.

The 24×7 helpline was established after human trafficking thrived on the pretext of foreign employment, studies abroad and transnational marriage.

However, the caller should dial 9771177 while making a call from abroad. Victims or informers can contact and give information or inputs that lead to the arrest of perpetrators and rescue of the victims.

“Victims or any person who have information about such crime may also dial 4269741. We are ready for action,” he informed.

The MPCD has already rescued at least 40 victims from home and abroad in just a few months.