TRINIDAD: April 18, 2016: The Ministry of National Security advises that on Saturday April 16, 2016, the Ministry’s Counter Trafficking Unit (CTU) charged two more persons for human trafficking and human trafficking related offences following a report received from the San Fernando Police Station in February 2016. The charges were laid by Police Corporal Ricardo Sealey of the Counter Trafficking Unit.
The suspects, Nigel Ramai and his common-law wife Reanna Meetoo will appear in the Port of Spain Magistrates Court today. Ramai was charged under the Trafficking in Persons (TIPs) Act Chapter 12:10 for receiving a Venezuelan woman for the purpose of exploitation as stated under Section 4 A (1) of the Sexual Offences Act Chapter 11:28. Ramai and Meetoo were also charged for committing grievous sexual assault on the Venezuelan national.
The TIPs Act states that persons found guilty of Trafficking in Persons, are liable to a fine of not less than $500,000 and imprisonment of not less than 15 years.
The rescued Venezuelan woman brings the count of victims identified by the CTU to 30, since it was established in January 2013. To date, eighteen (18) Trinidad and Tobago nationals have been charged for human trafficking and human trafficking related offences.
If persons know of or suspect human trafficking activity, they are asked to call CTU’s toll-free Hotline at 800-4288 (4CTU).