00:00Human trafficking remains a serious concern in Trinidad and Tobago, with victims drawn from both within the country and across
00:09the region.
00:10The scale of the problem is reflected in a landmark case involving a police officer.
00:15Former director of the counter-trafficking unit Alana Wheeler says the 2025 conviction of the officer for trafficking three Colombian
00:24women was a significant development in the fight.
00:27However, she tells us there are several issues impacting prosecution.
00:32It's a matter of locating them. It's a matter of are they still willing to come and give evidence?
00:37Is there a fear factor involved? Is there intimidation?
00:41Over that 12-year period, did the trafficking network or the trafficker make contact with them to threaten them or
00:47to offer them some sort of resolution, you know, to not come forward and give the evidence?
00:54So you have a lot of things in Trin and then, of course, well, the timelines that operate in the
00:59judiciary.
01:01Wheeler tells the Morning Edition human trafficking can operate through wider criminal networks, exploiting routes and connections already used for
01:10the movement of drugs and illegal firearms.
01:13She says these partnerships can make investigations more complex, underscoring the value of intelligence sharing and cooperation with the United
01:23States.
01:24So here you have drug trafficking routes that are already in place. You have arms trafficking routes that are already
01:30in place.
01:31Trinidad already has a history with South America in terms of drugs, illegal arms, right?
01:36You have communities that are connected between Trinidad, Venezuela, Colombia, right?
01:41So then you already have a ready infrastructure and a ready system. So you add persons to that, right? And
01:49you increase your profit.
01:51I think the U.S. has always been a really good partner with Trinidad and Tobago, particularly in trafficking in
01:56persons.
01:56And this is from my experience. They've always been very positive, very supportive.
02:00A lot of funding has come from the U.S. through international organizations and through NGOs.
02:07But the human trafficking specialist says one of the greatest challenges is recognizing who can become a victim.
02:15She says people may enter the country willingly without knowing they will be subjected to exploitation.
02:21But because I come here to prostitute and we know prostitution in itself has that illegal element, it's an illegal
02:28activity, that doesn't justify me being exploited.
02:32And how can a prostitute be exploited? Being raped, being beaten, not having a choice of who the clients are
02:40and being in a situation of bondage, right?
02:44So somebody can volunteer or offer willingly. For example, I can offer to work for you in your restaurant.
02:49I can offer to work for you in cleaning the house and stuff, but I can still be exploited.
02:55She's urging the public to look out for the warning signs of exploitation and trafficking and report concerns.
03:02Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
03:14Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
