Police charge Colombian, two Dominicans for human trafficking in Tobago

A Colombian man and two women from the Dominican Republic, all living in Tobago, have been slapped with human trafficking charges and a separate offence under the Children Act, police announced on Monday.

Divy Oscoro Silva, 20, Digna Yulay Los Santos, 33, and Alexandra Chalas Pozo, 22, all of Riseland Trace, Bethel, Tobago, answered to the charges when they appeared before Magistrate Christine Charles at the Scarborough Magistrates Court.

Los Santos and Pozo were also charged with transporting a person for the purpose of prostitution, while Pozo faced an additional charge of inciting a child to become a prostitute.

They were denied bail and remanded into custody. They will reappear in court on December 22.

Police said that on November 27, officers of the Counter Trafficking Unit received information about an alleged child prostitution ring in which several minors were being held against their will.

“Officers immediately transitioned to the sister isle and conducted intense surveillance, followed by an immediate police operation,” police said in a statement.

“All three accused were arrested by a team of officers from the Counter Trafficking Unit and the Special Investigation Task Force, during the intelligence-led police operation.”

The statement said three Latin American girls were also rescued and several items found and seized as evidence.

The operation was led by Snr Supt Christopher Paponette of the Special Investigations Unit, together with the director of the Counter Trafficking Unit.

The operation was supervised by Sgt Walters of the Counter Trafficking Unit.