Winnipeg man convicted after long term human trafficking investigation

Police say a man sentenced to three years behind bars is the most substantial conviction from a human trafficking investigation of this type in Manitoba.

Ferosh Tailor, who is 33, was convicted last month for four counts of benefiting from sexual services after a long-term investigation in Winnipeg.

Const. Dani McKinnon says police began to investigate in 2019 and found two victims.

McKinnon says the trafficker posted photos of the victims as advertisement online, which began as offers for massage services but turned into sexual exploitation.

She says the women are promised money, but it’s minimal compared to what the trafficker takes.

McKinnon says police have met with other people who were also potentially exploited.

She says some may not initially understand they were being trafficked, but later realize the extent of what happened.

“The reality is exiting human trafficking can be very difficult,” McKinnon said.

Sgt. Maria Koniuck, with the police’s counter exploitation unit, said traffickers are sophisticated and use tactics of deception and coercion to control people.

“These women did not feel that they could make their choices,” she said.

It can be difficult to investigate these types of human trafficking cases, especially when social media is used to sell sexual services, Koniuckadded.

But Koniuck said police are dedicated to investigating these crimes and encouraged anyone affected to come report it.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2022.