A human trafficking victim was forced to swallow drug-filled capsules before being transported to Oman, where the narcotics were later recovered for distribution, according to the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), in a case highlighting how organised crime groups are exploiting trafficking victims to facilitate international drug smuggling.
The operation led to the arrest of four suspects, the seizure of drugs and the rescue of the victim following a joint investigation by authorities in Oman and Zimbabwe with support from INTERPOL.
According to INTERPOL, police in Zimbabwe alerted their counterparts in Oman and the international police agency in June after identifying a victim who had been lured to Oman with the promise of employment.
“A human trafficking ring that forced a victim to swallow drugs to smuggle them internationally has been dismantled thanks to the collaboration of authorities in Oman and Zimbabwe,” INTERPOL said in a statement.
Investigators said members of the criminal network intercepted the victim during a layover and forced the individual to swallow capsules containing illegal drugs before the onward journey.
Upon arriving in Oman, the victim was allegedly compelled to expel the capsules, which investigators said were destined for distribution in the region.
“A swift investigation in Oman, with support from INTERPOL, led to the arrest of four individuals, the seizure of drugs and the rescue of the victim,” the agency said.
INTERPOL did not identify the victim or the suspects, nor did it disclose the type or quantity of drugs seized. Authorities have not announced whether additional arrests are expected.
Human Trafficking Increasing Worldwide
The case comes as global human trafficking continues to rise.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2024, authorities worldwide detected 69,627 trafficking victims in 2022, representing a 25% increase compared with 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. UNODC attributed the increase to improved victim identification as well as heightened vulnerabilities driven by armed conflicts, economic instability and displacement.
The report found that forced labour became the most common form of detected human trafficking globally in 2022, accounting for 42% of victims, surpassing sexual exploitation at 36% for the first time since UNODC began collecting comparable global data. Children accounted for 38% of all detected trafficking victims worldwide, while Sub-Saharan Africa recorded the highest proportion of detected victims among all world regions.
UNODC says traffickers frequently recruit victims through false promises of employment, education or better economic opportunities before exploiting them for forced labour, sexual exploitation or criminal activities.
The Oman-Zimbabwe case reflects a growing pattern in which trafficking victims are coerced into participating in drug smuggling and other crimes under the control of organized criminal networks.
While there is no indication that Burundians were involved in the case, the methods described by investigators resemble recruitment tactics that anti-trafficking authorities have documented across Africa, including the use of fraudulent overseas job offers to lure victims into exploitation.
