SHE VANISHED FROM THE UK… AND WAS FOUND THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY
Missing British teenager ‘trafficked to South America’ found with man wanted by Interpol
The girl was rescued in Ecuador and taken to a speccialist shelter in the capital of Quito (Picture: AFP)
A British teenager who went missing from her home has been found by police in South America.
The girl is feared to have been trafficked to Ecuador where she was discovered with a US citizen.
He was the subject of an Interpol notice and the pair were tracked down to Imbabura, a province to the north of the country and around 70 miles from of the capital Quito.
Following her rescue, the girl was taken to a specialist shelter in Quito.
Our Rescue, a non-profit organisation focused on combatting global sex trafficking and child exploitation, was also involved in the operation.
They collaborate with local law enforcement by assisting in rescue operations and providing aftercare for survivors.
Ecuador Police said: ‘Through investigative work carried out in the province of Imbabura and in co-ordination with Interpol and Our Rescue, we succeeded in locating and protecting a British teenager who was the subject of an international missing persons alert.
‘The investigations confirmed that she had entered the country and was subsequently found in the company of a man with dual Ecuadorian and US nationality, who was the subject of an international Interpol notice.
‘In light of a suspected situation of vulnerability linked to the crime of human trafficking, protection protocols were immediately activated, co-ordinating the teenager’s admission to a specialist shelter in Quito, as well as inter-agency support channels to ensure her safety, integrity and well-being.’
Police were last night continuing to look into how the youngster, whose age has not been revealed, entered Ecuador.
Glaeldys Gonzalez Calanche, an analyst for International Crisis Group, previously told The Sun: ‘Adolescents aged 13 to 18 are particularly vulnerable, as criminal groups often target them for recruitment, sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse.’
SOURCE: https://metro.co.uk/2026/06/16/missing-brit-girl-found-ecuador-jungle-american-man-amid-trafficking-fears-28805046/