NAIROBI, Kenya — Police in Kenya have successfully rescued more than 20 individuals from a suspected human trafficking syndicate that lured them with lucrative job offers in Russia but intended to send them to fight in Ukraine.
The operation, driven by intelligence, culminated in a raid on a residential apartment on the outskirts of the capital, Nairobi. Officers found 22 Kenyans in an apartment in the Athi River area who were described as “awaiting processing to Russia.”
Authorities seized recruitment materials, travel documents, and job offer letters, confirming the operation targeted a mysterious trafficking syndicate that has been extorting desperate Kenyan job seekers.
One suspect, who is accused of coordinating the victims’ travel for September and October, was arrested and brought before a court, which sanctioned his 10-day detention to allow police to finalize their investigation.
Detectives revealed that the victims had signed contracts with an unnamed overseas employment agency, committing to pay a substantial sum—up to $18,000 (£13,000)—to cover visas, travel, accommodation, and other logistics. Some of the rescued victims indicated they had already paid deposits of $1,500.
Concerns over Kenyans being trafficked abroad under fraudulent employment promises have been escalating. The human cost is high: police report that many return home injured, traumatized, or in some cases, never make it back.
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Two Kenyans are reported to have recently returned, with one currently receiving hospital treatment in the city. The trafficking network was highlighted recently when a young Kenyan athlete was captured in Ukraine, claiming he had been tricked into joining the Russian army.
The Kenyan government has acknowledged the severity of the issue, with a senior foreign ministry official recently stating that Nairobi is following up on reports of several Kenyan nationals allegedly trafficked to Russia and now being held as prisoners of war in Ukraine.
Globally, the issue affects citizens of various nations. Petro Yatsenko, Ukraine’s spokesperson on the treatment of prisoners of war, recently told Vivid Voice News that citizens of countries including Somalia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cuba, and Sri Lanka are currently held in Ukrainian POW camps.
However, speaking about other African prisoners-of-war, he added that “most African states show little interest in the return of such citizens and do not wish to take them back.”