Human Trafficking Sting sweeps San Pedro “Charges Confirm Trafficking ”

Human Trafficking Sting sweeps San Pedro “Charges Confirm Trafficking Ring”

A dramatic take down of three alleged San Pedro human trafficking bars was reported recently in Belize news media. It seems that National Criminal Investigation Branch swooped down unannounced on San Pedro ficha bars and busted 24 people. Among detainees, some were profiting from human trafficking and others were human trafficking victims. At last report, authorities were trying to figure out which was which.

The Organization For Responsible Tourism has been lobbying for the Belize Government to crack down on the San Pedro human trafficking hub for some time. So even if this is a token gesture, it’s a start.

Here’s what the report on the raid tells us:

From the Islands top cop. “When asked about the presence of human trafficking in San Pedro, ASP Arnold stated, “I have no knowledge about it.”

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), confirmed that a team under his branch was dispatched to the island on Saturday July 24th where they held a simultaneous raid of the three major bars of concern in the human trafficking ring here on the island. Those were Black and White Bar, the Thirsty Tiger and Los Compadres.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Miguel Segura, Head of the National Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) of Belize. “The raid was the direct result of several complaints received by the department from former victims of human trafficking, various embassies and even tourists that have began to use online methods as means to share this very destructive activity going on in the country”.

According to Mr. Segura, this is not good for the country as it creates negative publicity, especially in the Tourism Industry, which is one of our main, if not, the main source of income for the country. The Belize government acknowledges human trafficking in San Pedro is a problem. Assistant Police Commissioner Miguel Segura, in charge of the sting operation, says definitively there is a problem in San Pedro and his team “will be coming for you” if human trafficking is your game. We appreciate his to-the-point style.

The Thirsty Tiger bar for example is well promoted online:

http://ambergrisvacations.com/activities/bars/thirsty-tiger/

Beside New Gas Station. 3/4mile south of town. A bar full of Spanish speaking hostesses. They will show you the island any time of day or night. Spanish clientele and loud Spanish music. Not good for a Tourism Industry unless you want to promote Sex Tourism in Belize.

But the raid raises a number of questions.

1. First and foremost question “what about the owners of the bars”. From the news report this appears to be employees and workers taken into custody. From our work in this matter we know who the bar owners are. Liquor License requires that, if you lease a bar and use another’s license that has to be disclosed.
2. Is this part of a larger plan to deal with human trafficking and help victims or is it, in fact, a token gesture?
3. Have the victims and their alleged exploiters been separated? Or do they continue to be held together so that the victims are punished for being victims?
4. Why weren’t the minors, age 14 to 17, immediately identified as human trafficking victims? That’s the law in Belize.
5. Why weren’t the Guatemalan or other non-Belizean minors immediately returned to their families?
6. What about protection of the victims?
7. How many are now in remand as human rights violator, Hattieville Prison, because they’ve been caught up in the sweep without documents?
8. How many minors are on remand in Hattieville because of this exercise? How many innocent minors and others have been sent to this hard-core penitentiary, facing brutal sexual exploitation?
9. What is the Ministry of Human Development and Social Transformation doing to help the victims as Belize promised to do under agreement with the US government? What about Identification? Keeping them out of Hattieville? Finding shelter and the necessities of life for them? Offering legal, health and rehabilitation?
10. What is the government doing to ensure victims are informed of their rights, protected, and perceive safety as they await their time to testify against the criminals who exploited them — all to the satisfaction of the Public Prosecutor if charges are to be laid?

Guatemala/Honduras Governments: We have send messages to both Governments to find out what aid they can be offered those involved in the sting operation in San, any. Copied on the message Embassies and Tourism Departments within both countries.