Quebec man arrested in Whitby hotel human trafficking investigation

A Quebec man was arrested last week as part of a human trafficking investigation in a Whitby hotel. Police are working to ensure there are no more victims.

Durham Regional Police conducted a what they call a”proactive investigation” at the hotel on Wednesday February 2, and arrested Bruno Diebe-Marquez, 23 of Laval.

Diebe-Marquez was charged with obtaining sexual services for consideration; material benefit from sexual services; procuring a person to provide sexual services for consideration; procuring to be made, possess, transfer, sell identity document of another; utter forged document; possession of other schedule I; and two counts of failure to comply probation order.

Diebe-Marquez remains in custody pending a bail hearing. Investigators have released his photo in the hopes of ensuring there aren’t any more victims yet to come forward.

Durham Police Human Trafficking Unit has seen a steady rise in investigations since their founding in November 2018. Last year saw a 161 per cent increase over 2020.

“This upward trend is alarming,” said Deputy Chief Dean Bertrim in a Durham Police Board update in November 2021, “and illustrates that much work and effort is still required.” He called the increase “extremely concerning.”

“Human trafficking thrives on the anonymity,” he added, stressing the need for both enforcement and education to empower victims to come forward. “It has gone unnoticed because very few victims will ever come forward.”

Anyone with new information can call the Human Trafficking Unit at 1-888-579-1520 ext.5600 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) .