La Paz, Bolivia: Enslaved Boy Escapes Drug Traffickers

On August 5, 2013 El Nuevo Empresario Noticias reported the escape of an 11-year-old boy from a group of drug traffickers that had forced the child to work in their cocaine production operation. The boy had been kidnapped from his home in Potosí, in one of the poorest regions of the country, where he was then held captive at the traffickers’ house in the capital. The victim managed to escape after gaining the trust of his captors, who let him leave the house to purchase cigarettes for them.

According to the boy, there were other children being held captive in the house. However, according to prosecutor Harold Jarandilla, police have since closed the case and no attempt has been made to locate the house or to apprehend the suspected drug traffickers. Read Article