Police Investigate Possible Human Trafficking on Montserrat

The Royal Montserrat Police Service (RMPS) has launched a rapid investigation into what appears to be a human trafficking ring here.

A senior Police Officer told ZJB News that the organization received some information on the possible case of Human trafficking in the southern part of Montserrat in the Gingoes area.

The senior cop added that based on the information received, the RMPS launched an operation to ascertain the credibility of the data.

He said that a main control centre was set up at the Brades Police Station but a team was sent into the abandoned capital, Plymouth, to establish a command post there.

The RMPS said that subsequently the Atlantic 75 was dispatched to the area because of the nature of the vessel to get to the area swiftly and be more operable inshore, followed by the Heliconia Star for additional support.

It said that five Haitian males were found and that they are currently assisting the RMPS with their investigation, to include affiliation to persons on island and the extent of human trafficking.

The RMPS says the situation is evolving with more people on the beach and that additional information will be forthcoming.

The RMPS said several other agencies and organizations have been providing ground support in the operation – the Custom Division, the Royal Montserrat Defence Force, the Montserrat Volcano Observatory and the Ministry of health since that the operation is taking place in a Covid-19 environment.

Meantime, speaking to ZJB News, Commissioner of Police Steve Foster extends gratitude to members of the RMPS and the support agencies for their assistance in what he describes as this serious matter.