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Underaged Brazilian girls rescued from traffickers in Guyana

Aug 10, 2024 News

…joint probe launched

Kaieteur News – Guyana and Brazil have launched a joint investigation into trafficking of four underaged Brazilian girls who were rescued by local law enforcement officials here recently.

In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday said the joint investigation between law enforcement authorities in Guyana and Brazil concerns the alleged smuggling and trafficking of four underaged girls, all foreign nationals from Brazil to Guyana. In its statement the ministry said preliminary information indicates that the girls, all between the ages of 14 and 17, were illegally transported across the border with the intent of exploitation.

“In response to this information, and as a matter of priority, the Trafficking in Persons and Migrant Smuggling Unit, in collaboration with local law enforcement officials, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, executed an operation to safely locate, identify, and place the alleged victims into protective care. This operation was successfully conducted between August 4th and 7th, 2024.”

The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (C-TIP Unit), along with the Child Care Protection Agency, has initiated the provision of counseling, medical care, psychosocial support, and other essential services to the alleged victims, the statement added.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs reaffirms its commitment to ensuring the safety and protection of all individuals, both locals and foreigners, with a special focus on vulnerable groups such as minors,” the statement affirmed.

Furthermore, the Guyana Police Force has commenced a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding this heinous act. This investigation will include a thorough examination aimed at identifying and prosecuting all perpetrators involved, the statement said.

Human Trafficking remains a deeply entrenched global issue, affecting millions of individuals across borders, age groups and social- economic backgrounds. Notwithstanding the universal challenges of this crime, the 2023 US State Department Report had recognised Guyana’s efforts for convicting three traffickers, identifying more victims and referring them to victim support services, consistently implementing a 10 day – reflection period for victims, raising awareness in Indigenous languages, expanding the inclusivity of the Ministerial Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons, establishment of a new interviewing and screening centre, continuous training of law-enforcement officials,  initiating a programme to screen children in situations of homelessness.

Further, the report had included a number of recommendations that is expected to enhance Guyana’s efforts to combat this crime and offer greater support to victims of human trafficking. The recommendations from the report were welcome.

Notably, some of the recommendations emanating from the 2023 Report focused on further increasing investigations and prosecution of sex and labour trafficking cases, review existing legislation on labour requirement practices in Guyana, increasing the number of Labour Inspectors, enforce restitution orders, and reduce our reliance on victims to serves as witnesses in prosecution cases.

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