ABSTRACT
Trafficking of human beings has been widely accepted as a serious problem of the contemporary world. It has been estimated that around 27 million men, women and children are trafficking victims at any time globally,1 and the annual profit generated from human trafficking and forced labour amounts to $31.6 billion.2 Once trafficked, these victims are exploited in sex and other industries such as agriculture, fishery, construction and garment production. The transnational nature of human trafficking requires a concerted effort at national, regional and international levels, and an important step was taken when the United Nations adopted the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Organized Crime Convention)3 and its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (Trafficking Protocol) in 2000.4 These instruments constitute the core international legal framework to address human trafficking. In particular, they are clear examples of transnational criminal law as their main aim is to promote indirect control of human trafficking at the national level.5
