Four Detained on Monday Morning, House and Club raided --- Firearms, cash, documents and digital equipments confiscated. Search was also conducted at a Club in Statia.
PHILIPSBURG:---- Detectives from KPSM conducted two searches early Monday morning, one was conducted at the home of Carmen Priest in Pointe Blanche. Police arrested three persons, they are Carmen Reiph, her son Quiency Reiph, her daughter Jessica Priest and Davide Eustace Jr. The second search was conducted at Casa Blanca club located in Oyster Pond. Chief of Police Carl John confirmed that police conducted two raids and they detained three persons. John said that police are busy with a human smuggling investigation which led to the searches and arrests of the three persons.
House searches and arrests Casa Blanca
On Monday November the 16th 2015 during early morning the investigation team of the Unit Human Trafficking/Human Smuggling of KPSM performed house searches in the brothel Casa Blanca in Oyster Pond and in several houses. The house searches were led by the judge of instruction and the public prosecutor. Four suspects were arrested.
The Unit Human Trafficking/Human Smuggling is a cooperation between KPSM, the Dutch Royal Military Police (KMAR) and the Immigration and Border Control (IGD). The Unit was assisted by detectives of the RST, customs and VKS. The searches and arrests are the result of a long term investigation called Papagaai, during which the Prosecutor’s office also intensively cooperated with the Prosecutor’s office of the Dominican Republic. Two prosecutors and a detective from the Dominican Republic were also present at the searches.
The Chief Prosecutor of Sint Maarten has requested the Minister of Justice to suspend the brothel license of Casa Blanca, while awaiting the further criminal investigation and
the criminal verdict.
Huiszoekingen en aanhoudingen Casa Blanca
Op maandag 16 november 2015 in de vroege ochtend heeft er door het onderzoeksteam van de Unit Mensenhandel/Mensensmokkel van KPSM een doorzoeking plaatsgevonden in het bordeel Casa Blanca in Oyster Pond en in diverse woningen. Deze doorzoekingen werd uitgevoerd onder leiding van de rechter- commissaris en de officier van justitie. Vier verdachten zijn aangehouden.
De Unit Mensenhandel is een samenwerkingsverband tussen KPSM, de Koninklijke Marechaussee en de Immigratie en Grensbewaking Dienst (IGD). De Unit werd geassisteerd door rechercheurs van het Recherche Samenwerkingsteam (RST), de douane en de VKS. De doorzoekingen en aanhoudingen zijn het resultaat van een langdurig opsporingsonderzoek met de naam Papagaai. Gedurende dit onderzoek heeft er tevens intensieve samenwerking plaatsgevonden tussen het Openbaar Ministerie
van Sint Maarten en het Openbaar Ministerie van de Dominicaanse Republiek. Bij de doorzoekingen waren ook twee officieren van justitie en een rechercheur van de Dominicaanse Republiek aanwezig.
De Hoofdofficier van justitie van Sint Maarten heeft de Minister van Justitie inmiddels verzocht om de bordeelvergunning van Casa Blanca per direct te schorsen, in afwachting van het verdere strafrechtelijke onderzoek en het vonnis.
Press Release from Public Prosecutor's Office.
Four S uspects arrested during house searches.
A search team consisting of members from the Royal Marechassee, the R.S.T., the Customs, the Police Department and the Public Prosecutors Office jointly carried searches in 4 buildings under the suspicion of human trafficking. The building consisted of one erotic club and three dwellings.
Three main suspects have been arrested under the suspicion of the exploitation of mainly women from the Dominican Republic. A fourth suspect was later arrested for fire-arm possession. Thus far four suspects have arrested and more arrests are not excluded.
A total of 6 fire-arms, documents, cash and digital equipment have been confiscated for further investigation. On the island of Sint Eustatius a similar search was done at an erotic club which has ties to the suspects involved in this case.
The suspects remain in custody for further investigation.
KPSM Police Report