Man charged in Human Trafficking Investigation, Raj Kirubananthan, 32 years, Photograph Released

Broadcast time: 17:02
Date: Monday, October 2nd, 2023
Unit: Sex Crimes
Phone: 416-808-7474
Case #: 2023-2053804


The Toronto Police Service is making the public aware of an arrest made in a Human Trafficking Investigation.
The Toronto Police Service - Human Trafficking Unit commenced an investigation in September of 2023.

It is alleged that:

•  the accused sex trafficked the female victim from January of 2020 to July of 2023
•  the female victim met the accused while she was working in the sex trade.
•  the accused trafficked the female victim throughout the Greater Toronto Area and Bellville, Ontario
•  the accused also transported the female victim to Montreal, Quebec, forced her to work as an escort, while holding her in a hotel room for three months
•  all of the money earned by the victim was surrendered to the accused
•  the accused withheld the victim's identification and banking cards
•  the accused used physical force and supplied the victim drugs to exercise control over the female victim

On Wednesday, September 20, 2023, members of the Toronto Police Service arrested and charged Raj Kirubananthan, 32, of Markham, Ontario with the following:

•  Trafficking in Persons by Exercising Control
•  Material Benefits from Sexual Services
•  Withhold Travel Documents or Identity Document/Trafficking Persons over 18
•  Kidnapping
•  Assault
•  Procuring/Exercising Control
•  Traffic in Schedule I Substance
•  Forcible Confinement
•  Uttering Threats/Death or Bodily Harm

He was scheduled to appear in court at the Toronto Regional Bail Court, 2201 Finch Avenue West, on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., in room 402

Police are concerned there may be additional victims.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-4838 or [email protected], Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.

Human Trafficking means every person who recruits, transports, transfers, receives, holds, conceals or harbours a person, or exercises control, direction or influence over the movements of a person, for the purpose of exploiting them or facilitating their exploitation, for a sexual purpose or forced labour purpose. Victims can be any person, and can be moved across local, provincial or national borders. They can be coerced through violence or the threat of violence against family and friends.

The Human Trafficking Unit of Sex Crimes is dedicated to investigating these crimes against vulnerable members of society. For more information, please visit the Sex Crimes website.

Police would like to encourage all affected individuals to come forward and report Human Trafficking occurrences to police. We want to make sure that everyone has access to support services and an exit strategy, regardless of their decision to proceed criminally.
For more news, visit TPSNews.ca

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By Constable Laurie McCann for Detective Paul Martin