Tobago police in the dark about human trafficking ring
Residents were not the only ones in the dark about the human trafficking and prostitution of several children in the Riseland Trace, Bethel, Tobago community.
None of the island’s police officers Guardian Media contacted on Monday night after the story broke and yesterday were aware of any human trafficking reports or an investigation which led to the prosecution of three people.
On December 4, three individuals, one Colombian male and two females from the Dominican Republic, who lives at Riseland Trace, appeared before a Scarborough magistrate charged with human trafficking offences and prostitution.
ACP Collis Hazel told Guardian Media yesterday he could not comment on the matter because he had no information and was not aware of the matter. He also preferred not to give a statement based on reports.
Child Protection Unit head Natasha George also could not comment when contacted yesterday afternoon.
When Guardian Media visited the area, residents were unaware such activity was going on and could not positively identify the house where the children were being kept against their will.
One officer told Guardian Media that investigators prefer not to give the location to avoid compromising the progress of the active probe.
Meanwhile, Tobagonians had mixed views on the matter, with some describing it as a wake-up call for parents and caregivers on the island.
Fidel James said he was shocked.
“This scourge of child prostitution, of modern slavery, where people are used for financial gain by predators, must be stamped out from the world. It’s a sickness.”
Kathleen Quashie added, “It’s an eye-opener for us. Many of us think we are safe and things are not as they are in Tobago. It is an indication of things that are happening in Tobago that we are not aware of.”
Shirleyann George-Kerr felt the police had just scratched the surface of human trafficking on the island.
She said, “If they (police) buss one, I believe they may have more … I think there is more. When I look at my little island to see this happening right below my nose ...”
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