The Chief Prosecutor said the judge of instruction and the prosecutor's office was also involved in the search and raid of Border Bar on Oyster Pond Road.
According to relatives of Priest, a disgruntled sex worker who was prevented from leaving St. Maarten with a man to Trinidad filed a report against Priest. The relative said police was called in to stop the exotic dancer who was trying to escape with a man by boat. Mos said the search and investigation was conducted because of information that came to the attention of the Police and the Public Prosecutor's Office that the "labour circumstances" in this erotic animation club were a strong indication of human trafficking (vrouwenhandel).
"Vrouwenhandel" is a serious crime under article 260 of the Penal Code and has a maximum prison sentence of five years. On the premises one person, I.P., was arrested.
During the search several documents and money were confiscated. Because of the scale and the interest of the investigation no further details will be given at this time," the release concluded.
