EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Police in Juarez, Mexico, have arrested a 41-year-old man on human trafficking charges for allegedly sending his 9-year-old son out to beg for money from passers-by.

Authorities were alerted to a child approaching patrons at Plaza Pinocelli asking for spare change. Chihuahua state police arrived on the scene and allegedly witnessed Juan Antonio G.M. “flagrantly” compelling the 9-year-old to panhandle, the state attorney general said in a statement on Sunday.

The father was turned over to the State Investigative Agency, and the child transported to the local child protective agency known as DIF. The minor underwent a physical and psychological evaluation which led to him being placed in temporary custody of DIF.

The shopping center is on an avenue near Juarez International Airport; a large working-class neighborhood called Heroes de la Revolucion sits on the other side of the avenue.

Human trafficking cases have surged in northern Mexico in recent years due to the use of the statute to prosecute cases ranging from exploiting migrants to possession of child sex abuse material.

In February, a judge sentenced to three years in prison a man only identified as Rogelio S.H. for human trafficking-child pornography for storing sexual images of underage persons and sharing them through social media. Last year, a woman was arrested on human trafficking-corruption of minors charges for allegedly paying a 15-year-old boy to cross migrants over the border wall near Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

Also last year, the operator of a migrant shelter was convicted of human trafficking-forced labor for allegedly ordering foreign guests to do construction work at the shelter and other properties.

ProVideo in Juarez, Mexico, contributed to this report.