Human Trafficking in Sweden Increasingly Controlled Digitally from Abroad

Human trafficking operations targeting women in Sweden are increasingly orchestrated remotely via foreign call centers, according to recent reports from Swedish authorities. These so-called "digital pimps" recruit women mainly from South America and Ukraine without ever meeting them face-to-face. The victims are then exploited within Sweden under the tight control of these call centers.

Janna Davidsson, the national rapporteur for the Swedish Police Authority, explained that the recruitment and exploitation process involves the victims being provided an address in Sweden, usually a hotel, alongside access codes which are also given to clients. Advertisements for these women’s services are generated, and all payments are processed directly through the call centers abroad, signaling a shift toward digital management of human trafficking.

Davidsson highlighted that modern trafficking operates on a more subtle and covert level. Traffickers exert pressure through various tactics like threats of exposure and fabricated debts, making detection and intervention more challenging. As a response, she emphasized the urgent need for enhanced digital tools and capabilities within Swedish law enforcement to properly combat these sophisticated online trafficking operations.

This emerging digital model of managing human trafficking marks a significant shift from traditional in-person recruitment and control methods, reflecting a broader trend in criminal enterprises leveraging technology to operate transnationally and evade detection. Police officials are calling for stronger national-level strategies and technological resources to address this evolving threat effectively.