Moldova reports 108 trafficking victims in 2025, warns of surge
The General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Moldova announced that 108 people were identified as victims of human trafficking in 2025, a significant increase from the 32 cases recorded in the first half of 2026. Most victims are adult men recruited for low‑skill jobs in construction, agriculture, transport and other sectors, while children, refugees and migrants remain especially vulnerable.
In the same period, the International Center “La Strada” documented 49 Uzbek citizens subjected to forced construction work and 53 Bangladesh and India nationals exploited in a garment factory in Moldova, the latter case linked to supply chains for German orders. The centre facilitated protection services and informed authorities.
Romanian authorities marked the World Day Against Trafficking on 30 July 2026 by illuminating the Victoria Palace in blue and launching extensive awareness campaigns. The National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (ANITP) reported more than 1,200 preventive activities, about 75 projects, and outreach to roughly 87,000 people. Additionally, a €639,000 EU‑funded AR‑STOP project coordinated training for Moldovan and Romanian police in Arad to strengthen cross‑border cooperation against trafficking networks.
Entities: Bangladesh · European Union · India · International Center “La Strada” · National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (Romania) · Republic of Moldova · Uzbekistan · Victoria Palace
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Out‑migration of Moldovan labour has created a domestic shortage, prompting recruitment of migrant workers from Uzbekistan, Bangladesh and India for construction and manufacturing sectors. (Labour market analysis cited by the hotline)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Some Moldovan employers are unaware of obligations toward migrant workers, illustrated by a rural Moldovan offering free accommodation in exchange for household chores, a practice that can generate ex (Hotline advice)
- [● 2 SOURCES] In 2023, 53 citizens from Bangladesh and India were exploited in a garment factory in Moldova. (26f3a851-b1a3-44f1-8602-dd0696f06ddc)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The garment‑factory case is the first documented instance of human trafficking within an international supply chain that produced clothing for Germany. (Police investigation)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Uzbek victims reported that their identity documents were withheld and they were forced to work without receiving promised wages. (Victims interviewed by the hotline)
- [● 2 SOURCES] In the past 12 months, 49 Uzbek citizens were identified as victims of forced construction work in Moldova. (26f3a851-b1a3-44f1-8602-dd0696f06ddc)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Hotline for Safe Migration, run by the International Center “La Strada”, facilitated protection services and informed authorities about the cases. (Hotline operators)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Romanian Government illuminated the Victoria Palace in blue on 30 July 2026 to mark the World Day against trafficking. (b625051c-ca35-4c2e-bf4b-9a692784e62e)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The €639,000 EU‑funded AR‑STOP project coordinates training for Moldovan and Romanian police in Arad to combat trafficking. (5df7febe-bc72-42f8-917f-d74bfe0ce7d1)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In the first half of 2026, 32 victims of human trafficking were identified in the Republic of Moldova. (b026c040-31dd-4819-95a8-d42de45eaa95)
- [● 2 SOURCES] ANITP carried out over 1,200 anti‑trafficking awareness activities in the first half of 2026, reaching about 87,000 people. (fe99ef88-dce5-480a-bdaa-cbefc97feecb)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In 2025, 108 victims of human trafficking were identified in the Republic of Moldova. (e182d7f7-9963-47ee-a752-f0b1b0a82296)