Friday April 10, 2026
Ethiopian police say Yetbarek Dawit, who is yet to comment on the allegations, was wanted in various countries
Mogadishu (HOL) — Ethiopian police have arrested a man accused of leading a multimillion-dollar human trafficking network that allegedly smuggled thousands of migrants, including Somalis, to Libya over several years, where many were subjected to torture, abuse and detention.
Federal police identified the suspect as Yetbarek Dawit, who coordinated a cross-border network that transported more than 3,000 people from Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Sudan to Libya since 2018. He was arrested in the northern town of Shire in the Tigray region along with nine alleged associates.
Police allege that Yetbarek operated five detention centers in Libya, where migrants were held and abused to extort additional payments from their families. Investigators say the network is linked to the deaths of more than 100 people and the sexual abuse of at least 50 women.
According to authorities, detainees were forced to contact relatives and demand money. Those unable to pay were reportedly subjected to severe mistreatment, including beatings with rubber strips and electric cables, shackling and deprivation of food. Some victims reported having molten plastic poured on their bodies. Women were allegedly sexually assaulted and suffered lasting physical and psychological harm.
The arrests followed a complex cross-border investigation involving the Regional Operational Centre (ROC), an EU-funded initiative targeting trafficking networks in East Africa. Testimonies from more than 100 victims and relatives in Ethiopia, Libya, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada contributed to the probe.
Police said Yetbarek was known internationally and used multiple aliases, including “Adhanom” in Sudan, “Ahmed” in Djibouti and Somalia, “Munir” in Kenya and “Kibrom” in Sweden and other European countries. Authorities said advanced surveillance and financial tracking tools were used to identify and locate him. Bank accounts linked to the network have been frozen and assets confiscated.
Investigators estimate the group generated more than $19 million from its operations.
Thousands of Somali migrants remain stranded in Libya, facing grave risks along the Central Mediterranean migration route, one of the world’s most dangerous corridors. Migrants attempting to reach Europe often encounter trafficking networks, armed groups and detention centers where abuse is widespread.
The suspects were transferred to Addis Ababa earlier this week for further investigation.
In April 2025, Somalia’s Banadir Regional Court sentenced six individuals convicted of running a human trafficking operation. Two defendants received two-year prison terms and were ordered to compensate families of four women who died during the trafficking process. Four others were sentenced to six months in prison for involvement in the scheme.
Authorities in the Horn of Africa continue to face mounting pressure to address irregular migration and combat the criminal networks that exploit vulnerable migrants seeking passage to Europe.
