A 19-year-old man is facing a number of sex charges, including child pornography offences, following a Surrey RCMP investigation into human trafficking.
Mounties said the investigation began back in January as a search for a missing 16-year-old girl, then grew in scope after they learned she was "allegedly being held in Vancouver."
Members of the Surrey RCMP's Serious Crime Unit and the Vancouver Police Department managed to find the girl and rescue her, but didn't find a suspect at the scene.
After further investigation, officers arrested Raimon Geday on April 5. He has since been charged with 14 counts, including two counts of unlawfully recruiting, transporting, harbouring and exploiting an individual under the age of 18.
Other charges include production of child pornography, possession of child pornography, knowingly advertising an offer to provide sexual services, and six counts relating to firearms.
"Ensuring vulnerable victims are protected from those who seek to exploit them is of the utmost importance to police," Supt. Elija Rain said in a news release. "This investigation is the result of strong police work by our Serious Crime Unit and partnerships with other police services including the Vancouver Police Department."
