(File Photo/paNOW Staff)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Serious Crime

Tisdale man facing human trafficking charge for allegedly forcing woman to work and live in horrid conditions

Jul 6, 2023 | 3:46 PM

RCMP have charged two men with human trafficking.

Earlier this year, a woman from Bangladesh who was staying in Canada on a visitor’s permit saw an advertisement for work at a restaurant in Saskatchewan.

After getting the job, police say she was forced to work 10 to 12 hours a day, seven days a week, for several months at multiple restaurants in Tisdale, Elrose, and Gull Lake.

Police say the woman was forced to stay in an unfinished, concrete basement which was dimly lit and heavily water damaged when she wasn’t working.

She was reportedly threatened by her employers that her working permit would be taken away or police would be called if she didn’t comply.

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On June 29, after investigating, Saskatchewan RCMP’s Swift Current Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Team (STRT) arrested 41-year-old Mohammad Masum from Tisdale and 52-year-old Sohel Haider from Elrose.

Each was charged with one count of trafficking a person. Masum has also been charged with three counts of sexual assault.

A third man was also arrested, but later released without any charges.

Masum and Haider are scheduled to appear in a Rosetown provincial courtroom on July 13.

The woman has since been provided with supports.

“This investigation illustrates human trafficking can take many forms, including forced labour,” said Supt. Glenn Church, officer in charge of Saskatchewan RCMP’s Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Team (SERT). “This isn’t just a big city issue, human trafficking is present in communities both big and small, including in Saskatchewan.”

Meanwhile, investigators believe there may be more victims of this human trafficking operation.

They didn’t provide any more details, only that the investigation continues.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow