The cost of human trafficking

The crime of human trafficking is linked to conflicts and wars. According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the ongoing refugee crisis and migrant smuggling have caused an increase in human trafficking across the world. Current estimates put the annual illegal profit from the trade at $150bn a year, only behind drug trafficking ($300bn) and the counterfeit trade ($250bn).

Human trafficking is a crime that exploits women, children and men for numerous purposes, including forced labour and sex. The United Nations defines human trafficking as the recruitment or transportation of people using threat or fraud, for the purpose of exploitation.

On World Day against Trafficking in Persons, Al Jazeera looks at the cost of human trafficking.