Toronto police arrest 2 people in human trafficking investigation

22-year-old Tyrique Harmer of Hamilton alongside 21-year-old Maria Toth-Taddeo of Toronto charged in connection to a human trafficking investigation (TPS photos).

Toronto police say they have arrested two people following a human trafficking investigation involving two underage female victims.

The investigation began in June, as members of the Human Trafficking Unit began looking into allegations that two girls, aged 14 and 17, were trafficked through a “combination of deception, coercion, and control.”

Police say the accused created online ads for sexual services, took sexualized pictures of the victims, transported them to hotels to meet clients, and kept the money they earned.

On Thursday, officers arrested the suspects who are from both Hamilton and Toronto.

The first suspect, 22-year-old Tyrique Harmer, is charged with trafficking persons under 18, possession of a weapon, publishing and possessing child pornography, and advertising another person’s sexual services, in addition to several other offences.

The second suspect, 21-year-old Maria Toth-Taddeo of Toronto, faces the same charges along with several other offences.

Police say they believe there may be additional victims and are encouraging anyone with information to come forward.