AURORA, Ont. - Police in Ontario say they've arrested 31 people as part of an investigation into human trafficking and organized crime spanning several provinces.
Investigators in York Region say they searched more than 30 locations in the Toronto area and Quebec last Thursday and laid more than 300 charges against the suspects.
They say the probe began in October of last year when two female victims of human trafficking contacted police after trying to escape a suspect.
Police say that led them to a number of other suspects believed to be involved in a human trafficking ring run by organized crime.
They say the suspects were also engaged in fraud, drug trafficking and weapons offences.
Police say officers identified 12 victims and determined that more than 30 women in the sex trade — most of them from Quebec — were linked to the ring.