Human trafficking: Portuguese police rescue 47 footballers

No fewer than 47 young footballers, including 36 minors have been rescued by Portuguese police in a crackdown on human trafficking link to a training camp in the north of the country.

The Immigration and border services confirmed the development on Thursday.

According to AFP, the all-male victims, from countries in Africa, Asia and South America, were placed in institutions “under the protection of the state”

Two Portuguese nationals and five companies are under investigation in the operation launched Monday and christened “El Dorado” and which has seen several “passports and residency permits” seized.

According to local media reports, the victims were held in buildings belonging to the Bsports football academy in Riba d’Ave and most of them will now give testimony before a judge before being repatriated to their country of origin.

One of the people under investigation was identified in media reports as Mario Costa, one of the officials behind the Bsports academy and president of the general assembly of the Portuguese football league.

Mario Costa reportedly resigned from his position on Wednesday, without admitting to any wrongdoing.

The illegal recruitment of footballers is “unacceptable and shocking”, Portugal’s secretary of state of youth and sports Joao Paulo Correia said, adding that government would “take measures” to battle this type of human trafficking.

Investigating reports further reveals that about 114 minors and young adults, aged between 13 and 22 years are victims of the scheme.

Some other victims would have been enticed to study and play football in Europe.

Report say the minors are now at the care of the state and will return home to their families in the next days.

The young adults are at the academy premises, but free to move and to return to their home country and family