European police have launched a crackdown on the continent's most wanted criminals. The new Europol website, called the "Sexless Crime" campaign, reveals the faces of fugitives wanted by 21 EU countries in an interactive way, 18 of them women.
"People think these crimes are not usually committed by women, but the crimes committed by women are just as serious as those committed by men," said Europol spokeswoman Tine Hollifuitt. The suspects face a range of charges, including murder, trafficking in human beings and drugs.
The interactive campaign first shows suspects hiding behind masks, before their faces are slowly revealed as viewers read the stories behind their crimes. "The face of the wanted fugitive is revealed, and he will be able to tell whether he is a man or a woman," Holifuite said. "The opportunity to find and arrest the wanted person." France is looking for Jessica Idusomwan, a Nigerian who fled after police raided a trafficking ring in the Lyon region in late 2007 and arrested 26 people.
The gang exploited 60 women who were tempted to come to France, promising a better future, and smuggled through Libya. French police said poor women were threatened once they arrived in France. The case against the suspects was expected to begin in Lyon on November 6, and Edusuman, the only suspect, whose case has yet to be heard.
Police said they believe the fugitive now lives in Benelux countries, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Italy or Germany. The other suspect wanted is Hungarian national, Ildiku Dudas, 31, who is wanted for drug trafficking and child abuse. "Often, children from poor families are brought in to work in drug trafficking," Europol said. Dodds was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for several crimes between 2011 and 2012, but her whereabouts are unknown.