A Venezuelan woman who is already behind bars serving a six-month sentence for operating a brothel, has landed in more hot water, and is now facing nine counts of trafficking in persons.

The accused, Mayelin Cordova, operated a business in the town of Bartica. According to a Police statement, she is accused of trafficking nine Venezuelan women from their homeland to Guyana between the 15th March and 30th April this year.

The woman is accused of exploiting the women in the Cuyuni river area.

The alleged victims reported the matter to the Guyana Police Force, and members of the Trafficking in Persons Unit conducted an investigation, the Police said.

Based on the investigation, legal advice was given by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for Cordova to be charged with 9 counts of Trafficking in Persons.

The Guyana Police Force’s TIP Unit in efforts to combat Trafficking in Persons, will continue to work with other stakeholders to conduct intelligence-led operations, spot inspections, awareness, and training in every region of Guyana.

In this year’s US State Department Trafficking in Persons report, it was noted that while Guyana has met the minimum standard to eradicate trafficking in persons, there was a need for more persons to be charged for the crime and for more convictions to be made.

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