Toronto police announced arrests of two men for human trafficking-related charges, Saturday morning.

The unrelated cases saw 27 charges laid against both Simon Ho-On, 23, and Patrick Raphael Duchard, 29.

Human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation, harbouring and/or exercising control, direction or influence over the movements of a person in order to exploit that person, typically through sexual exploitation or forced labour.

Ho-On, from Toronto, was charged with 17 human trafficking-related offences on May 29, in addition to nine other offences that he was charged with in February.

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In that case, police alleged that a man used a noxious substance to render a 22-year-old woman unconscious, and that he tattooed her body with his nickname of “Sosa” to let people know she belonged to him.

He then allegedly pressured and coerced her into the sex trade and advertised her on numerous websites along with another man.

Duchard, who is from Quebec, was arrested on May 3 in B.C. and brought back to Toronto to answer to 10 charges.

In that case, police alleged that between September 2018 and January 2019 a female met a male through a social media application and was coerced into working in the sex trade, while the man facilitated meetings with clients.

Police said Duchard has ties in Quebec and may be known by the nickname V12.

For both cases, police are concerned that there may be more victims.

Toronto police have arrested at least 14 people for human trafficking-related charges so far this year.

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