QNet human trafficking ring busted in Liberia

Liberian authorities have dismantled a human trafficking operation run by QNet International, a multilevel marketing company, after investigators discovered the scheme was using coercion and false promises to exploit children and young adults across West Africa.

The National Police made two arrests on June 23rd following weeks of investigation. Raids on QNet offices and compounds in Paynesville and surrounding areas soon followed, uncovering a calculated operation that preyed on vulnerable youth from Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Mali.

The scheme worked like this: traffickers lured victims across borders with promises of legitimate employment. Once in Liberia, they were confined to company compounds and forced to work as recruiters for QNet's marketing network. The company took their money upfront and demanded they bring in two more victims to continue.

One victim described the trap to Front Page Africa: "The day I reached in Duala [Monrovia], the company's agent picked me up, brought me to the company's office in Paynesville and took all the money from me. After they took the money from me, they told me to go and bring two other persons, telling me, 'that's the business we are doing.'"

Police detained Abu Kamara, who investigators say collected money and phones from victims. Sheriff Gavi, identified as the head of QNet International in Liberia, was released to his lawyer pending further investigation.

Under questioning, Kamara fingered a third suspect: Monde Konneh, whom he claims orchestrated the actual trafficking. Kamara told police that Konneh told him the children "were coming to work, to do business. Network marketing business with Qnet International." Konneh is believed to be hiding in Guinea.

QNet Ltd., based in Hong Kong and owned by the QI Group, is a multilevel marketing company founded by Vijay Eswaran and operated from Malaysia. It remains unclear whether the Liberian operation has direct ties to the parent company, though the identical business model and branding suggest a coordinated enterprise.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to identify additional suspects and determine the full scope of the trafficking ring's operations.

🤖 Quick Answer

What was the QNet human trafficking operation in Liberia?

When were arrests made in the QNet trafficking case?
Liberian National Police made two arrests on June 23rd following a weeks-long investigation into the trafficking operation, with subsequent raids conducted on QNet offices and compounds in Paynesville and surrounding areas.

How did the QNet trafficking scheme recruit victims?
Traffickers lured victims across borders using promises of legitimate employment opportunities. Once victims arrived in Liberia, they were confined to company compounds and subjected to forced labor under coercive conditions without freedom of movement.

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