An organisation assisting victims of human trafficking says the incidence of the offence in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas almost doubled last year.
The Karidat Social Service says fifty victims of human trafficking sought assistance from Karidat's Guma Esperansa House of Hope last year, up from the 28 reported the previous year.
By comparison, American Samoa, Hawaii and Guam collectively recorded fewer than ten cases
The U.S. Department of Justice considers the Marianas a hotspot for human trafficking due to its close proximity to many Asian countries and its lax immigration system.
