The National Commission on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings received 38 reports during the January-June 2026 period. Through these, 60 trafficking victims were identified, including 17 children. In comparison, the number of identified victims throughout 2025 was 89. The data was announced by the Commission marking the launch of the "Escape Room on Wheels Bulgaria 2026" initiative.

Of the reported cases, 23 are related to labor exploitation, and an equal number to sexual exploitation. The institution notes that recently, human trafficking has increasingly begun with promises of good jobs, higher incomes, and a new lifestyle. The internet and social media platforms are becoming the primary channels through which victims are lured, their trust is gained, and they are subsequently placed under control.

According to the Commission, Bulgaria is no longer just a country of origin for victims, but is increasingly becoming a destination for trafficked persons. The rise in labor migration opens new avenues for abuse, especially in cases where actual working conditions turn out to be radically different from those promised.

Men fall victim more frequently due to the increase in labor exploitation cases in sectors such as construction, agriculture, manufacturing, and logistics. The Commission clarified that this does not decrease the cases of sexual exploitation, but rather reflects a rise in labor-related trafficking.

The way traffickers identify potential victims is changing alongside the development of the internet. Contact can begin almost anywhere online—on a social network, a chat application, a job advertisement, or a dating platform. Children and young people remain the most vulnerable. Perpetrators often pose as peers, friends, or employers, gradually earning trust and thus drawing people into dangerous situations. The Commission also points to a new risk factor: the development of artificial intelligence, which can now be used to create convincing fake profiles, photos, videos, and even voice messages. Therefore, skills for recognizing online scams and maintaining a critical attitude toward received information are becoming an increasingly vital part of prevention.

The institution listed several warning signs to watch out for: unusually high pay with low job requirements, the absence of a written contract, a reluctance to provide specific information about the employer, insistence on immediate departure, pressure to make quick decisions, confiscation of personal documents, restriction of freedom of movement, as well as discrepancies between promised and actual working or living conditions.

The path to sexual exploitation usually involves building intimacy or emotional or financial dependency, where trust is gradually turned into a means of control. According to the Commission, trafficking rarely begins with violence—in most cases, the first step is gaining trust.

Factors that criminal networks exploit include financial difficulties, the need for work, the desire for a better life, emotional attachment, or insufficient information among potential victims.

The Commission funds seven specialized support services for victims—four of these are residential, while the remaining three offer consultations in Varna, Burgas, and Sofia. There, victims receive psychological, social, and legal assistance.

The institution clarified that official statistics only reflect cases that have come to the attention of the authorities and have resulted in confirmed victim identifications. There are incidents for which no report is ever filed.

Earlier that same day, at Gina Kuncheva Square in Sofia, the interactive initiative "Escape Room on Wheels Bulgaria 2026," aimed at human trafficking prevention, was launched.

The first edition of the project covered 11 cities across the country through 13 separate events and attracted over 1,500 participants.