Sammy Hudes

Five charged in joint human trafficking investigation by Calgary and Quebec police

A joint human-trafficking investigation by Calgary and Quebec police has resulted in charges against five people.

The investigation, spanning almost two years, has seen multiple victims from Quebec and Calgary come forward, Calgary police said.

The Quebec task force dedicated to human trafficking began the investigation in May 2018. It linked five individuals to the human trafficking of female sex-trade workers.

Recognizing that some of the victims were living in Calgary, the task force reached out to Calgary police for assistance.

Human trafficking typically involves individuals using someone else's sexual services in order to gain material benefit.

Calgary police executed a search warrant on one of the suspects' Calgary homes on July 27, 2018. There, a victim was found, along with drugs, a handgun and approximately $5,000 cash, according to Calgary police.

One man was taken into custody.

Calgary police then co-ordinated with their Quebec counterparts to arrange for the arrests of two other men believed to be involved. Both men appeared in a Quebec court on Wednesday.

Investigators later found two more men in Calgary who they believe are connected to the case. One was arrested Aug. 7, 2018, while the other was arrested Nov. 29, 2019.

"Often in human trafficking investigations there are no borders, and so offenders that are related to human trafficking typically try and move their victims out of an area where it's comfortable for them, where there's other family members there … to an area where they can be manipulated into these situations," said Staff Sgt. Jodi Gach of the Calgary police General Investigations Unit.

"These victims are typically psychologically and often times physically abused or manipulated, or (feel) like they're being provided things by the offenders," she added.

"In these particular circumstances and in all circumstances of human trafficking with Calgary police, what we try to do is set them up, simultaneously with the criminal investigation, with support services."

Gach said Calgary police do not anticipate further arrests.

Vincent-Olivier Marcheterre, 34, and Antoni Proietti, 29, both of Quebec, each face one count of material benefit of trafficking, trafficking persons, procuring and material benefit from sexual service.

Both men are in custody in connection with further charges of human trafficking, procuring, sexual assault and assault against five additional victims from June to November 2018.

Police believe further interactions between the accused and various Alberta residents have not yet been reported.

Hicham Moustaine, 28, of Calgary, who was arrested Aug. 7, 2018, is charged with one count each of trafficking persons, procuring, possession of a firearm without a license, possession of a prohibited weapon with ammunition and possession of a firearm obtained by crime.

Sergei Dube-Cavalli, 28, of Calgary, who was arrested Nov. 29, 2019, is charged with one count each of material benefit from sexual service, advertising sexual services, trafficking persons under the age of 18 and material benefit of trafficking.

Calgarian Mikhail Kloubakov, 29, who was arrested July 27, 2018, is charged with one count of trafficking persons.

All three Calgary men are scheduled to appear in court Feb. 21.

Investigators are asking anyone who has had contact with any of the accused to contact police at 403-266-1234 or submit tips anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers.