BBC Investigation Exposes Alleged Sex Trafficking Network in Dubai
A two‑year BBC World Service investigation has uncovered what it alleges is a sex trafficking network operating in some of Dubai’s most affluent neighbourhoods, targeting young Ugandan women with false promises of legitimate work.
At the centre of the exposé is Charles “Abbey” Mwesigwa, a former London bus driver, accused of luring women to the UAE with offers of jobs in supermarkets, hotels, or other respectable roles. According to the BBC, once the women arrived, they were told they owed thousands of pounds for flights, visas, and accommodation — debts that could only be “repaid” through sex work.
From Social Media Rumours to Undercover Evidence
The investigation began after years of online speculation about so‑called “wild parties” in Dubai, amplified by the viral hashtag #DubaiPortaPotty, which attracted hundreds of millions of views on TikTok. While many dismissed the posts as gossip, BBC reporters say they found a far darker reality behind the memes.
Undercover journalists filmed Mwesigwa allegedly offering “25 girls” for high‑end parties, starting at $1,000 a night, and boasting that they could “do pretty much everything” clients wanted. A former associate, identified as Troy, told the BBC that women who refused clients were sometimes locked in rooms until they complied.
Life Inside the Network
Survivors interviewed by the BBC described living in overcrowded apartments — sometimes with up to 50 women — and being pressured daily to find clients. One woman, “Mia,” said her initial £2,000 debt doubled within weeks, with every expense added to her tab. Another, “Lexi,” said she eventually escaped to Uganda and now helps other women in similar situations.
Troy alleged that some clients were wealthy businessmen, entertainers, and political figures, and that extreme sexual demands were often made specifically because the victims were African women.
Suspicious Deaths Raise Further Questions
The BBC linked Mwesigwa’s network to the deaths of two Ugandan women: Monic Karungi in 2022 and Kayla Birungi in 2021. Both fell from high‑rise apartments in Dubai’s Al Barsha district. Authorities ruled the deaths suicides, citing drugs or alcohol in one case — but BBC‑verified toxicology reports showed no such substances in Kayla’s system.
Families of both women dispute the official findings, saying they had been trying to leave the network. Monic’s relatives claim she had secured alternative employment and was preparing to move when she died.
Official Silence and Calls for Action
When approached by the BBC, Mwesigwa denied running a prostitution ring, describing himself as “just a party person” who knows wealthy people and helps women find accommodation. Dubai police did not respond to the BBC’s requests for comment.
Uganda’s State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Hon. Balaam Barugahara, has called the alleged exploitation “despicable” and demanded Mwesigwa’s arrest through Interpol. Anti‑trafficking advocates say the case highlights the dangers in Uganda’s billion‑dollar labour export industry, where thousands seek work in the Gulf each year.
