Police rescue 24 suspected trafficking victims, arrest one suspect

By Jarc Tusiime 

Police are holding a suspect in connection with suspected human trafficking after 24 young people were rescued from alleged confinement in rented rooms during an intelligence-led operation in Wakiso Town Council.

The operation, carried out by Kampala Metropolitan Police, followed a tip-off received on May 29, 2026, at around 10:00pm indicating that several youths were being kept under suspicious circumstances in Kikookiro-Kapeke Village, Kisimbiri Parish.

Acting on the information, police raided the premises on May 30 at about 7:00am and found 25 people inside the rented rooms. The group comprised 13 females, 11 males and one man believed to have been supervising them.

Of those found, 24 were rescued and identified as potential victims of human trafficking, while one suspect was arrested at the scene.

The rescued youths, aged between 18 and 26 years, are reported to have originated from various districts, including Kasese, Lyantonde, Kagadi, Arua, Kakumiro, Fort Portal and Koboko.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the victims had been recruited from different parts of the country and transported to Wakiso on promises of employment involving the marketing of herbal medicine products.

However, police said a search of the premises did not recover any herbal medicine products, promotional materials or equipment associated with the alleged business.

The suspect has been identified as John Edwin Gulu, a resident of Kasese District, who remains in police custody as detectives investigate possible links to a wider trafficking and exploitation network.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala confirmed the operation, saying police acted swiftly after receiving credible intelligence about the youths' situation.

“Police received credible information that youths were being held in rented rooms under suspicious conditions. A swift operation was conducted, leading to the rescue of 24 victims and the arrest of one suspect. Investigations are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and whether this is part of a wider trafficking network,” Kawala said.

The victims have since been taken to Wakiso Police Station, where they are undergoing profiling and receiving welfare support as investigations continue.

The rescue comes amid growing concern over trafficking syndicates that target young people with promises of employment opportunities, only to subject them to exploitation after relocating them far from their homes. Police said inquiries are continuing to establish whether additional suspects were involved in recruiting and transporting the victims and whether similar operations are being conducted elsewhere in the country.