The number of reported cases of human trafficking in the Netherlands has risen again, showing a higher level of awareness of the crime, the national rapporteur on trafficking and sexual violence against children has said.

Reports of exploitation have increased from 868 in 2023 to 944 in 2024, with more victims among teenagers and foreign workers in particular, the figures showed.

The figures are “not necessarily negative”, rapporteur Conny Rijken said. “We have more people on our radar now who we can help. We all know that this is the tip of the iceberg and that there are at least 5,000 people who are victims of exploitation by criminals,” she told broadcaster NOS.

The reports involving minors centre around their recruitment for drug smuggling, fire bombing and getting drugs out of containers at ports, or who are willing to give access to their bank accounts to criminals.

“We don’t know exactly who these youngsters are but we know they are open to the promises of this type of network and the chance to make money fast,” she said.

More Ukrainians have become victims and more women from Venezuela and Colombia who were promised work have fallen victim to sexual exploitation as well.

It is difficult for police to get a handle on this group because they are largely invisible, Rijken said. “These criminals are operating from hotels or holiday lets and move easily from place to place,” she said.

Although more reports of potential trafficking have been made, the number of police investigations has fallen by almost a third.

“Fewer cases of sexual exploitation are being investigated but police could not explain why that would be. We do know that cases are being left because of staffing problems,” the rapporteur said.

To combat exploitation more effectively, MPs recently voted in favour of a increasing the punishment for people who aid and abet exploitation, for instance, by providing a house to prostitute trafficked women. The maximum penalty for people trafficking is 12 years.