Local businesspeople are working with an international syndicate to forge Kenyan passports and visas leading to an increase in human trafficking.

Immigration Officer Mr Alfred Omangi said human trafficking was on the increase and that the cartels were too advanced for law enforcers. It has emerged that the Immigration Department is not adequately equipped to detect forgeries. This, plus the porous nature of Kenyan borders, is fuelling human trafficking.

"Some border points are not adequately equipped to detect forged documents and this has seen undesirable characters finding their way into the country," said Omangi. Omangi was speaking at a meeting attended by Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Uganda trade unions in Nairobi. International Confederation of Free Trade Unions convened the meeting to address issues of human trafficking.

Omangi said when taken to court, suspects are charged with other offences such as forgery of passports or illegal entry into the country. He said due to poverty levels and unemployment the public was falling prey to unscrupulous people who purport to secure them international employment. China, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and recently Afghanistan were sited as countries that were trafficking people into the country to engage in cheap labour.

It also emerged that many are not aware of human trafficking and the media were urged to sensitise people. Mr Peter Mathuki, Director Human and Trade Unions Rights, said the media are critical in the fight against human trafficking.