http://scm.oas.org/pdfs/2011/CP25570T.pdfVictim Assistance: Multilateral CooperationPresenterJeannette Richardson-Baars MA, Deputy Commissioner (Ag) of Police, Aruba National Police,
Chair of the working group for countertrafficking activities & National Coordinator Anti-Human Trafficking & Smuggling
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Aruba is a destination country for trafficking in persons
Risk sectors are: prostitution and labor (service and construction industry)
In 2007 an interdepartmental and interdisciplinary working group for counter-trafficking activities was installed
Governmental and semi-governmental agencies tasked with anti-trafficking efforts are represented in the working group
Partners in the working group are:
Aruba Police Force (chair)
Public Prosecutors Office
Directorate of Alien Policy, Admission & Integration
Directorate of Foreign Affairs
Directorate of Labor & Research
Directorate of Social Affairs
Bureau for Victim Assistance
Directorate of Public Health
Directorate of National Security
Coastguard Aruba & Netherlands Antilles
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Results so far:
the training of government officials in victim identification and victim assistance is ongoing
a draft for a publicity and awareness campaign has been completed
a telephone helpline has been established (+297)5923231 as well as an email adress
LCMM@kparuba.com an outline for a study on human trafficking and the sex industry has been drafted
an committee (police, prosecutor, labor, alien affairs) has been installed to review information on possible cases of human trafficking (case study)
an investigative team has been assigned to handle cases of human trafficking
a basic referral procedure for cases and / or victims of human trafficking has been established
the Country Coordinator has to be informed immediately of any possible cases of human trafficking and will alert the review committee
the Bureau for Victim Assistance will take care of shelter and support for the victims
In 2009 a Memory of Understanding on trafficking in persons, human smuggling and illegal immigration was signed by the ministers of Justice of the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba to ensure further cooperation and support between the partners in the Kingdom of the Netherlands
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What happened in 2010?- one investigation into labor exploitation (HK Taylor)
* one victim, one suspect
- one investigation into sexual / labor exploitation (Strea)
* seven victims, four suspects
* forty-five possible victims
(I think this outlines the Alex Mathew/Foxy Lady case currently proceeding in Aruba...jmo)
at the end of 2009 two American females reported the loss of their passports
they had been employed by Mister X as dancers in his club and he had taken their passports for safekeeping
the police officer made a copy of their contract and contacted the National Coordinator who alerted the multi-disciplinary review committee
a preliminary investigation led to sufficient indications of possible human trafficking and the case was handed to the Organized Crimes Unit for further investigation
during the meeting of the National Coordinators a strategy for further cooperation was determined
in the beginning of 2010 a Lithuanian female in Curacao made a complaint against Mister X, claiming to be a victim of human trafficking
a male employee reported to have been forced into cooperation by the use of extreme violence
in the summer of 2010 two Ukrainian females came to a police station and claimed to
have escaped from Mister X
the investigation was intensified and preparations were made to arrest Mister X and his accomplices
due to the risk for the victims it was decided they could not receive safe shelter on Aruba
the Joint Investigations Teams NA&A provided the finances for transport to Curacao and later reinforced the investigative team
the Victim Assistance Bureau Curacao provided shelter for the victims and made the necessary arrangements with IOM for return
the National Police Service in the Netherlands provided for an expert investigator to join the team
the National Prosecutors Office in the Netherlands provided for a specialized prosecutor
during the raid at Mister Xs club two Brazilian females also claimed to be victims of
human trafficking and they were also transported to Curacao
four arrests were made: Mister X, his girlfriend, his bodyguard and a police officer
Mister X was transported to the prison in Bonaire
the connection between Mister X and government employees is currently under investigation
after the arrest two Russian females working in Spain contacted the investigative team to report that they were also Mister Xs victims
more than seventy former employees have been identified of which forty-five possibly are victims of human trafficking
the charges against Mister X will most likely include: human trafficking, being part of a criminal organization, money laundering and assault
Current status of the case:
- after his arrest Mister X was placed in preliminary detention and led before the investigative
judge
- the investigative judge ordered to interview several of the potential victims and witnesses
in this case
- as a result 10 more victims made an official compliant against Mister X for human trafficking
- Mister X made his first appearance before the court on the 17th of December 2010 and will do so again on the 1st of April 2011
- the case is expected to be brought before the court in the third or fourth trimester of 2011
- the nationalities of the known victims are: Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Brazilian, Russian, Hungarian, German, French and Scottish.
Partners in the STREA investigation are:
The Aruba Police Force
The Joint Investigations Teams NA&A
The Prosecutors Office of Aruba and the Netherlands
The National Coordinator of Aruba, Netherlands Antilles and the Netherlands
The Victims Assistance Bureau Aruba and Curacao
The National Police Service of the Netherlands
The International Organization for Migration