Drug gangs lure children from North Africa and Afghanistan: ‘They are sometimes even threatened with rape videos’

A contemporary Oliver TwistFor example, Eric Garbar, head of the human trafficking unit of the Federal Judicial Police, described how underage boys from North Africa and Afghanistan were forced to commit crimes across Europe. protector Gabar’s conclusions come after years of research into this invisible form of human trafficking. But anyone who has occasionally passed through the South Station has noticed them: young boys, sometimes very young boys, from North Africa, with a misty gleam in their eyes, who are used to sell cocaine or act as pickpockets to rob unsuspecting travelers.

How did those guys get there?

Eric Gabar: “On one hand, boys aged 14 to 17 from North Africa, mainly Morocco and Algeria, come here alone. Through social media channels dedicated to them, they present a lavish lifestyle filled with luxury brands. Behind these channels are organized drug criminals. They see North Africa as an endless reserve of cheap labor. The kids call themselves Haragasafter the Arabic word Haragawhich roughly translates to “those who burn.” Because they burned their identification documents upon arriving here so they couldn’t be recognized.

“Once they arrive in Europe, they are assigned to an older person, usually themselves. HaragaWho have to guide them. They don’t apply for asylum, so they are completely invisible to the authorities. They are squatted and made to sleep on the ground and then sent out to the streets to deal or commit other crimes. They can also be used to remove drugs from the port. They usually do this under the influence of Rivotril (a sedative used to treat panic disorders, etc.) or Lyrica (an addictive painkiller used to treat nerve pain). We see the same phenomenon in France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and even Sweden. These minors are very mobile and can disappear from Brussels and reappear in Paris from one day to the next. They go wherever the gang needs cheap labor. ”

“We see a similar phenomenon with unaccompanied minors in Afghanistan. They do apply for asylum and end up in asylum centers. But once they get there, they get bills from smugglers. For this, they are forced to bargain or clash with competing clans. There have been deaths.”

Why didn’t they go to the authorities?

“They fear physical violence. The youngest and most vulnerable are often victims of sexual violence. They are forced to have sex with a group of men to emulate Bacha Bazi‘ (Roughly translated as “playing with boys” in Persian, it is a form of sexual slavery, ed.) In Afghanistan itself. Such gang rapes are then filmed so that the boys can be lined up later. “Do what the gang asks you to do, or we will send these photos to your family in Afghanistan.” Similar facts were experienced by boys in North Africa. ”

From perpetrator to victim

French-Moroccan rapper Latist describes the fate of young North Africans in 2019 in his song “7arraga”. “I’ve seen kids climb the walls to see the world. I’ve seen them go crazy, from ecstasy to flacca,” he sings. Gabar is also eager for more attention HaragaBoys and their Afghan peers.

Do you know how many kids are involved?

“NGOs estimate that around 25,000 young people disappear after crossing the border into Europe. Child Focus reports that 322 unaccompanied minors go missing every year in Brussels, which is worrying. But we don’t know how correct these figures are. In my speeches I always repeat that protecting children is one of the core values ​​of the EU. We urgently need to think more carefully about how to do this for these children. But this costs money and resources. This type of human trafficking is currently invisible. And it’s hard to prioritise something we can’t see.”

Anything to start with?

“There is little data on the matter, little media attention, and the police and judiciary are not very familiar with the phenomenon. Therefore, when children are arrested, they are often seen as perpetrators rather than victims. The real perpetrators remain under surveillance. However, it is by treating them as victims that we can put an end to the exploitation of children. In this way we can uncover entire criminal networks. We have seen this in the Spanish enclaves of Melilla and Paris. There, social organizations and the police are able to work more closely together and can convince victims to enter the protection system.”

“We have to do something. These kids are growing up too. They go from being exploited to being exploiters, and the new boys end up getting caught up in the same circle. These kids grow up in crime, addicted to physical and sexual violence. When they become adults, they run the risk of becoming very violent and are perfect candidates to rise up in drug crime or even extremist and fundamentalist networks. Belgian or European society has never paid attention to them. There is nothing to stop them.”