'They followed their gut': N.B. RCMP say wellbeing check led to rescue of human trafficking victims
The New Brunswick RCMP says a wellbeing check that led to the rescue of three women from alleged human trafficking in Moncton earlier this month was the result of someone following their gut.
Officers performed the wellbeing check on a young woman at a residence on Ward Street on April 12.
Police say they determined the woman was reported missing from Ontario and she was a victim of human trafficking.
Officers attended a Dieppe residence on Gauvin Road and found another young female who was reported missing from Ontario on April 16.
Police say they also found an adult woman from Quebec who was a human trafficking victim.
An 18-year-old woman, Saphira Bastien, was arrested at the scene and is facing charges.
Bastien was remanded into custody and is scheduled for a bail hearing on Friday.
'They did the right thing'
Insp. Chantal Farrah of the Codiac Regional RCMP is calling it a "major investigation" with two dozen members involved.
Farrah says human trafficking cases like these are not obvious to detect and residents need to be “switched on” when they see something out of place.
“I can tell you that the wellbeing check on Ward Street was specifically that. Someone saw something that looked out of place. They did the right thing. They followed their gut. They called us,” she told CTV Atlantic’s Derek Haggett. “Because of that person, we saved that young person. That's tremendous."
Farrah is encouraging anyone who may be involved in human trafficking to reach out to police.
"I'd like to stress to anyone that if you are a victim of human trafficking, if you're being controlled, if you're in a situation and you don't know how to get out of it, we're there to help,” she says. “It's never too late."
But what should people look out for?
"Be aware. If you're seeing people that aren't from here, they look confused, they're young, they’re not sure what they're doing here, all kinds of different signs. If something's not right, ask us for a wellbeing check,” she says.
'Trust their gut'
Julia Drydyk, the executive director at the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking, said human trafficking has been taking place in the Maritimes for decades.
“Research that was conducted by the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking in 2020 shows that there are very distinct human trafficking corridors moving from Halifax through Truro into Moncton often moving victims to keep them isolated and to avoid law enforcement,” said Drydyk.
More often than not, Drydyk said the trafficker knows the victim and it looks far more like intimate partner violence than kidnapping.
“So it’s really important that Canadians trust their gut. If something feels off, they should follow that,” said Drydyk.
The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline (1-833-900-1010) is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
These snakes not only fake their own deaths, they use gory special effects to do it
Awards season may be over for human actors this year, but there’s no rest for some of nature’s most audacious thespians.