Lethbridge Courthouse. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

All 10 suspects in human trafficking investigation have been released on bail

Aug 23, 2021 | 2:00 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Bail hearings have wrapped up for 10 people accused of acts related to the human trafficking of underage girls.

The final judicial interim release hearing was held Monday afternoon in Lethbridge Provincial Court for Dr. Ziyaad Noor, a practicing family physician in Lethbridge.

He was released from custody on numerous conditions, although the specifics of which are protected under a publication ban.

The same is the case for the nine others who face similar charges. They had bail hearings last week and were all released.

LPS announced on August 13 that they had made several arrests in connection to a human trafficking operation. At the time, eight people were in custody and there were two known victims.

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Since then, another two people who were charged turned themselves in and another three victims have come forward.

The accused range in age from 16-37 years old. The first two victims are aged 13 and 15, but the ages of the three other victims have not been stated by police.

LPS alleges that the girls had been selected, groomed, and brought to specific locations where the offences took place.

READ MORE: Lethbridge Police charge 10 males in human trafficking investigation

READ MORE: Two men wanted in LPS human trafficking investigation now in custody

READ MORE: Additional victims come forward in Lethbridge human trafficking investigation

The full list of the individuals charged is as follows:

• Fadi (Stawi) Chtewi, 20, faces charges of:
  • sexual interference
  • invitation to sexual touching
  • two counts of sexual assault
  • sexual assault – party to offence with another person (more than one person involved in the sex assault)
  • two counts of aggravated sexual assault
  • trafficking persons under 18
• Abdulla Mohammed, 19, faces charges of:
  • sexual interference
  • invitation to sexual touching
  • two counts of sexual assault
  • sexual assault – party to offence with another person
  • two counts of aggravated assault
  • trafficking persons under 18
• Mohammad Neirabani, 22, faces charges of:
  • sexual interference
  • invitation to sexual touching
  • sexual assault
  • sexual assault causing bodily harm
  • sexual assault – party to offence with another person
  • aggravated sexual assault
  • trafficking persons under 18
  • child luring
• Mahmoud Nirabani, 20, faces charges of:
  • sexual interference
  • invitation to sexual touching
  • two counts of sexual assault
  • sexual assault – party to offence with another person
  • two counts of aggravated sexual assault
  • trafficking persons under 18
• Ziyaad Noor, 37, faces charges of:
  • sexual interference
  • invitation to sexual touching
  • sexual assault
  • sexual assault causing bodily harm
  • sexual assault – party to offence with another person
  • aggravated sexual assault
  • trafficking persons under 18
• Mohammad Zafari, 20, faces charges of:
  • sexual interference
  • invitation to sexual touching
  • two counts of sexual assault
  • sexual assault – party to an offence with another person
  • aggravated sexual assault
  • trafficking persons under 18
• A 17-year-old male, who cannot be identified, faces charges of:
  • two counts of sexual assault
  • sexual assault causing bodily harm
  • two counts of sexual assault – party to offence with another person
  • trafficking persons under 18
  • child luring.
• A 16-year-old male, who cannot be identified, faces charges of:
  • sexual assault
  • sexual assault causing bodily harm
  • sexual assault – party to offence with another person
  • aggravated sexual assault
  • trafficking persons under 18
• Meriton Krasniqi, 26, faces charges of:
  • sexual interference
  • invitation to sexual touching
  • two counts of sexual assault
  • sexual assault causing bodily harm
  • sexual assault – party to offence with another person
  • aggravated sexual assault
  • trafficking persons under 18
• Khaled Alsaid, 22, faces charges of:
  • sexual assault
  • invitation to sexual touching
  • sexual interference

When the additional victims came forward, LPS stated that more charges could be laid.

All of the accused are scheduled to return to court in September.

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