Two men charged with trafficking a person under the age of 18 and receiving material benefit as a result have pleaded not guilty and will be going to trial.
The Vancouver Police Department said in July 2021 that 24-year-old Elkan Vyizigiro , Meaz Nour-Eldin , 25, as well as a young offender have been charged with the alleged offences. “Investigators believe underage girls were recruited and trafficked for several months,” Const. Tania Visintin said at the time. “After becoming aware of the information in 2019, the Vancouver Police Counter Exploitation Unit launched an investigation surrounding the human trafficking operation.”
Documents say the alleged offences took place in Vancouver and Surrey between December 2018 and February 2019. Both men are also charged with unlawfully receiving a material or financial benefit for allegedly knowing it came from the commission of a criminal offence.The victim’s name is covered by a publication ban.