41 foreigners arrested in raid at adult entertainment bar

Jan 06, 2018 News

Police and some of the foreigners outside the bar yesterday morning

More than three dozen foreigners, mostly women, were yesterday detained during an early morning raid by a joint team of law enforcement agencies at the Diamond Hotel and Bar located on George Street, between Princes and Norton Streets.

Armed with guns, law enforcement officers descended on the property at about 07:30 hrs in several vehicles, including a 30-seater bus.

Crime Chief, Assistant Commissioner Paul Williams said that 41 foreign nationals were detained, while eight employees were taken into custody. Williams disclosed that the raid also unearthed narcotics.

Officers emptied the building by placing the women outside, with their suitcases in tow. The women, none of whom appeared to be Guyanese, were allowed to pack their luggage. They were initially made to stand outside the hotel where officers collected their names and other information.

In front of a crowd of curious onlookers, the women were then placed onto the bus and their luggage transported via a police pick-up.

Those arrested were taken to Eve Leary Police Headquarters for processing. The suspicion was they had been in the country illegally, perhaps having overstayed their time. To the curious onlookers, the women did not appear fazed by the arrests.

The Hotel and Bar is a popular adult entertainment spot in the city. Its popularity grew after other adult entertainment bars and clubs were either closed or fell on hard times.

The raid was sparked by a growing number of people coming across the border, some as sex workers. At the same time, Guyana is fighting to maintain its new found reputation as a place that is seriously pursuing efforts to minimise incidents of human trafficking.