Eighty-seven Sierra Leonean women, plus two fellow nationals suspected of being the ringleaders, were arrested in Dakar after a nearly three-week undercover operation.

The women had arrived in Senegal by road via Guinea, a trip of more than 1,300 kilometres (800 miles), and had paid the traffickers between 350,000 and 400,000 CFA francs ($600-700 / 525 to 600 euros) each.

The gang planned to send them in smaller groups to clients in the Middle East with the help of local contacts.