Members of the Unit human Trafficking and Human Smuggling of the St. Maarten Police Force (KPSM) entered on Monday, October 24th, 2016 around 08:00pm the brothel Hypnotic. The reason for this was the suspicion that some women were working at the establishment without having the necessary permits.
On entering the brothel to identify possible illegal employment, members of the KPSM were assisted by members of the Royal Dutch Marechaussee. A total of 27 women were present in the brothel and were working without a valid residence permit. This was reason for the prosecutor to also come to the site. The 27 women – originating from Venezuela, Colombia and the Dominican Republic – have been placed under the supervision of the immigration service and a deportation procedure has been initiated.
Manager of the Hypnotic brothel, J.P. (41), has previously been arrested in connection with involvement in human trafficking in the brothel Casa Blanca (Papagaai investigation). For these new offenses J.P. has been arrested as a suspect and tomorrow the prosecutor will present in the Court of First Instance its request to annul J.P.’s suspended detention in the Papegaai investigation.