(Trinidad Guardian) Police have charged two Venezuelan nationals under anti-gang legislation.
Yilfrenth Ramirez Diaz aka Morpheo was charged under the Anti-Gang Act with knowingly supporting a gang leader and Pedro David Hernandez Patete was charged with:
– Being a gang Leader
– Receiving and transporting a Venezuelan female for the purpose of exploitation and with the exploitation of the prostitution of said female
– Procuration for prostitution
– Harbouring a Venezuelan female for the purpose of sexual exploitation
– and receiving a financial benefit knowing that it resulted from trafficking in persons
Both were charged on September 29 2021 at the Maximum Security Prison, Golden Grove, Arouca by Ag Sgt Ramsarran of the Counter-Trafficking Unit.
The matters were heard on Thursday September 30 2021 at the Port of Spain, 7th Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Gafoor.
The accused were remanded into custody and the matters were adjourned to the 7th October and 28th October respectively.
In a statement issued Sunday, the Police Service said that these investigations were coordinated under the umbrella of the Criminal Investigations Bureau and led by Snr Supt Christopher Paponette in conjunction with Ms Alana Wheeler, Director of the Counter-Trafficking Unit and spearheaded by Supt Michael Veronique with advice from SIU Legal officer Zaheer Ali.