Global Black Voices: News from around the World
Ryan Hamilton-Davis
Police have uncovered a major human trafficking ring in Tunapuna, the Ministry of Homeland Security said in a media release on June 6.
The release said the Counter-Trafficking Unit (CTU) and the TT Police Service conducted an exercise dubbed “Operation G Ride” – a six-month operation that culminated in a raid at a residence on St Vincent Street, Tunapuna, which resulted in the discovery of 12 women between the ages of 21 and 28, a 16-year-old girl and two children under the age of three.
All of the people found at the house were Venezuelan, except for one of the babies who is a Trinidadian.
Police also recovered a firearm and $150,000 in cash, which was suspected to be proceeds linked to human trafficking operations.
One Venezuelan national was arrested at the scene. The suspect also had a child at the house.
The suspect’s child and the 16-year-old girl were taken into the care of the Children’s Authority. After rapid screening was done, three of the women were identified as victims of trafficking. They are now in the care of the CTU’s protection team.
The other eight women were handed over to the Immigration Division for further screening.
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