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Last week, the Department of Justice charged 14 Gambino Crime Family Associates with multiple criminal offenses, including sex trafficking of a minor. This is among the first federal cases targeting organized crime groups with human trafficking offenses in the United States. This particular case helps highlight two significant points in regards to efforts to combat human trafficking: it is about maximizing profits no matter who is involved in the exploitation, and it is not always a standalone crime, but often wrapped up within other crimes.
The International Labor Organziation (ILO) estimates that global human trafficking generates over $32 billion annually—which is greater than the GDP of Africa and South America combined. Traffickers know there is a profit to be made because there is a demand for commercial sex and/or cheap labor. In the case of the Gambino associates, they saw a demand for commercial sex and therefore engaged in sex trafficking among other criminal activities.
What was particularly interesting about this recent case was the surprise expressed by both law enforcement and former mafia members surrounding the sex trafficking charges. After the charges were announced, I had the privilege to meet and speak with former FBI special agent Jack Garcia about the sex trafficking charges. As a former special agent, Jack had worked undercover to dismantle the Gambinos in the early 2000s. While undercover, Garcia had noted the mafia in strip clubs and some involvement in prostitution, but he had never come across sex trafficking of children. He noted that the Italian mafia had a certain “ethics”—if there is such a thing among criminals—that prohibited any involvement or harm of women and children. For him and others, sex trafficking was a new low for the mafia, and it was clearly about finding new avenues for profit.
What I hope this case does, is highlight to other federal, state, and local law enforcement that human trafficking is often intertwined with other criminal offenses—whether it is kidnapping, racketeering, or prostitution, and often one aspect of organized crime. We need to target more human trafficking cases and links to organized crime groups—whether they are internationally linked crime groups or local street gangs—if we want to dismantle larger human trafficking networks.
It is therefore critical to not view human trafficking in a vacuum, but rather as a crime that is often spurred on by or accompanied by other crimes. Part of this requires shifting away from the paradigm that prostitution is a victimless crime or that the women/girls gave consent. Another part requires that law enforcement understand the general nature of human trafficking and how to identify potential situations while conducting other investigations. It is critical that advocates also consider other crimes in the furtherance of human trafficking or vise versa. We should intertwine anti-human trafficking advocacy and training into law enforcement’s daily protocols This would entail victim identification and assistance. From my experience, once an officer learns about human trafficking—they become some of the most passionate advocates to target those who willingly exploit others for profit.
Human trafficking is a serious crime without limitations on who can be involved in exploiting others and it will not always be a separate standalone crime. The Gambino associates exemplified this with their greed and ruthlessness when they engaged in sex trafficking and various other criminal activities. What is needed is further discussion on the nature of organized crime and any connections there may be to human trafficking. The Gambino associates are a start, but we need more emphasis in targeting organized crime networks and any involvement in human trafficking.
http://www.blog.polarisproject.org/?p=1301
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