January 28, 2026 — Dalena Reporters
Ethiopian police have arrested 22 individuals accused of running a criminal human trafficking network that is believed to have trafficked nearly 2,000 migrants through Libya en route to Europe and the Gulf, authorities said on Wednesday.
According to officials in Addis Ababa, the suspects formed “criminal gangs” that lured migrants with false promises of better lives in Europe. Instead, many of the migrants were held in warehouses in Libya, forced to contact family members for ransom payments, and effectively detained until money was paid.
Police said the network generated more than 2.16 billion Ethiopian birr (about $13 million) from trafficking around 1,800 people, leading to at least two confirmed deaths and 15 disappearances linked to the operation.
Ethiopia is a major departure point for migrants seeking work or asylum in the Gulf and Europe, and authorities have stepped up efforts to dismantle trafficking and smuggling networks that exploit vulnerable people.
The arrests come amid broader regional concerns about human trafficking and migrant smuggling, including international actions against traffickers and growing cooperation among law enforcement agencies.