Johannesburg — THE police, who will have to maintain peace and fight crime during next year's soccer World Cup, will have the added challenge of detecting and preventing sexual and labour exploitation of women and children, says US ambassador Luis CdeBaca.

CdeBaca, director of the US Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, warned SA yesterday not to allow the problems of human trafficking to eclipse the excitement of the World Cup.

"There should be no reluctance to arrest and prosecute tourists in SA intending to sexually exploit young girls or boys," he said.

His comments come barely a month after the US state department released its 2009 Trafficking in Persons report, in which SA's standing was upgraded to tier 2 -- taking it off the watch list of countries doing little to combat human trafficking.

CdeBaca told media in Pretoria yesterday the upgrade was in recognition of SA's efforts to improve legislation to fight human trafficking and the successful prosecution of syndicates and individuals. CdeBaca is visiting the continent to engage authorities on ways to close loopholes in the regulations that human traffickers use to escape prosecution for sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

"It is essential that the (Southern African Development Community) region share information and experience about combating human trafficking."

He said he had been told local police units were already monitoring certain areas, preparing to provide such services ahead of 2010.

This meant that illegal acts could be prevented and victims protected.