As Danish police investigate whether teddy bears listed online are coded signals in human trafficking networks, official statistics show that the clear majority of identified trafficking victims in Denmark are foreign nationals, with Danish citizens accounting for only a small fraction of cases.
The story of innocent-looking toys potentially concealing trafficking communications looks less outlandish when you consider who trafficking actually affects in Denmark. The overwhelming majority of victims are internationals, many of whom communicate with their traffickers through subtle, everyday signals that blend into the digital and physical landscape.
Foreigners account for nearly all victims
According to Center mod Menneskehandel, the national coordinating body under Social- og Boligstyrelsen, the clear majority of identified trafficking victims in Denmark are foreign nationals. Official summaries indicate that Danish citizens have been identified as victims only in isolated years, with the EU Commission country profile noting trafficking of Danish nationals in 2010, 2013 and 2017, and five Danish citizens identified in 2020.
The numbers fluctuate sharply from year to year. According to the US State Department TIP Reports, authorities identified 98 victims in 2017, 97 in 2018 and 64 in 2019, a drop of about 35 percent between 2017 and 2019. According to the EU Commission country profile for Denmark, 968 persons were identified as trafficking victims between 2007 and 2020. As reported by the Danish Institute for Human Rights, 112 people were assessed as victims in 2023, the second highest total since official statistics began in 2007.
New strategy targets coded communications
Denmark has adopted a national anti-trafficking strategy and action plan for 2026 through 2029, emphasising early identification, development of detection tools, and better coordination. The timing is notable given current police scrutiny of online listings as possible trafficking signals. According to the Danish Institute for Human Rights, the plan includes strengthened training and new tools for spotting trafficking, with specific attention to minors suspected of being trafficked.
The strategy structures efforts around five areas: prevention and identification, support and assistance to victims, investigation and prosecution, coordination and knowledge sharing, and international cooperation. On prevention, the government pledges enhanced training for frontline workers and support including legal advice for vulnerable foreign women in prostitution.
Earlier action plans have funded Reden International’s specialised crisis centre for trafficked women, and the new strategy continues support to specialised NGO facilities. According to the Danish Institute for Human Rights, the strategy also includes strengthened efforts regarding minors, an area where Denmark has previously been criticised by the Council of Europe’s GRETA monitoring body.
Trafficking law covers internal cases
Denmark criminalises trafficking in straffelovens section 262 a, following the UN Palermo Protocol definition. Recruiting, transporting, transferring, harbouring or receiving a person for exploitation counts as trafficking even if no international borders are crossed. For children, any recruitment, transfer or harbouring with exploitation in mind qualifies as trafficking even without violence, threats or deception.
That legal framework matters because it means seemingly domestic situations, like online sales of ordinary household items, can fall under trafficking laws if they serve as coded communications or control mechanisms within Denmark’s borders.
Under-detection or genuine scarcity
The low official victim numbers spark debate. According to the Danish Institute for Human Rights, the actual number of victims is likely much higher due to large dark figures in trafficking statistics. According to Eurostat, 10,793 victims were registered across the EU in 2023, equivalent to 24 per one million inhabitants.
Experts note that some countries report higher per-capita victim numbers, often linked to stronger identification systems rather than higher actual rates of trafficking. Danish authorities and NGOs both acknowledge that most victims never self-identify, which means proactive outreach and pattern recognition are essential rather than waiting for direct reports.
Immigration status complicates identification
For internationals, vulnerability is amplified by immigration status. Victims without legal residence are typically housed at asylum centres or crisis centres, while legally resident victims are entitled to passende og sikker indkvartering, appropriate and safe accommodation. That protection only activates once someone is formally identified as a victim.
According to the Danish Institute for Human Rights and GRETA reports, Denmark has faced criticism for focusing more on immigration control and deportation than on granting long-term residence or compensation to victims. That emphasis can make affected communities distrust authorities and less likely to report real trafficking, creating a cycle of under-detection.
How to report suspicions
Anyone in Denmark who suspects trafficking can contact the CMM national hotline at +45 70 20 25 50 or contact police directly. The option to remain anonymous exists, and guidance is available on next steps. According to CMM and Social- og Boligstyrelsen, citizens, professionals and potential victims can call for advice or use an online reporting form.
For internationals unfamiliar with the Danish system and potentially fearful of immigration consequences, this route is crucial. As confirmed by the EU Commission country profile for Denmark, identified victims, even those without legal residence, are entitled to safe accommodation, basic support and a reflection period before any decision on return or residence status. As Danish police now scrutinise online listings for coded trafficking signals, those contact numbers may prove more relevant than anyone browsing toy ads would expect.
