Two more men from Ontario are facing several charges following an 18-month, seven-province investigation into human trafficking.

Police say 31-year-old Malachi Almonzo Downey of Vaughn, Ont., was arrested around 3:45 p.m. Friday in Colchester County. Police arrested 29-year-old Sanderico Rekel Beals of Scarborough, Ont., in Dartmouth around 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

Both men have been charged with human trafficking, receiving a material benefit from sexual services, receiving a material benefits from trafficking in persons, and laundering proceeds of crime.

Downey is also charged with possession of Percocet. 

Police say both men remain in custody and appeared in Dartmouth provincial court on Monday.

“By arresting and charging these human traffickers today, we are removing them from a position to exploit more young women and girls in Nova Scotia and across Canada,” said federal policing officer RCMP Supt. Alfredo Bangloy in a statement. “Our goal is to get victims to safety and link them with resources and support to break the cycle of violence.”

Lorenzo Trevor Thomas, 31, was arrested and charged in May as part of the same investigation. He’s facing 17 charges, including trafficking in persons, assault, advertising sexual services and receiving a material benefit from sexual services.

Police say more charges could be laid.

The RCMP said it learned in April 2016 that men originally from Nova Scotia had relocated to Ontario and were trafficking and exploiting women from their home province.

Due to the complexity of the investigation -- dubbed Operation Hellbender -- Nova Scotia Mounties worked with Halifax Regional Police and RCMP in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundlandand Labrador. Police from Nova Scotia also travelled across the country in an effort to locate victims of human trafficking from the province.

Police say human trafficking involves controlling, forcing, intimidating or deceiving a person in order to exploit them through various forms of sexual exploitation or forced labour. They also say some people don’t realize that they are victims of human trafficking.

“The relationship between victim and trafficker can take many forms so it’s important to learn the warning signs,” said RCMP Const. Natasha Jamieson.

Officers are asking anyone who knows of someone being trafficked to call or text 902-449-2425, or contact Crime Stoppers.