Three charged in Trinidad and Tobago Human Trafficking Investigation

Trinidad and Tobago: Three individuals have been charged in Trinidad and Tobago following a months-long human trafficking investigation, involving the sexual exploitation of a 17-year-old girl from Venezuela.

These charges stem from Operation Iceberg, which is an extensive intelligence-led investigation by the Counter Trafficking Unit (CTU) to target an alleged human trafficking network across Trinidad and Tobago.

The Director of Public Prosecutions formally charged 41-year-old Titus Du Bois, 26-year-old Francis Carolina Rengel Ojeda, and 38-year-old Damon Dominuc Charles after investigators submitted evidence.

Preliminary investigations stated that a Venezuelan teenager was allegedly taken to Trinidad following an offer of what appeared to be a legitimate job. The girl was later sexually exploited. It has been claimed that she eventually escaped the situation and traveled to Tobago in an attempt to start afresh before returning to Venezuela.

The operation was conducted from July 22 to July 25 after months of information-gathering and preparation by CTU and other partner agencies.

Du Bois was arrested on July 22 in Long Circular Road, St James. His house at Morne Coco Road, Petit Valley, was also searched by officers. The search continued in Tobago. Rengel Ojeda was arrested on July 24 in Scarborough. Charles was arrested the next day in Signal Hill, while his house was also searched.

The three suspects were initially held under preventive detention orders of the Emergency Powers Regulations of 2026. They remained in police custody while investigators continued working to gather further evidence before the charges were laid.

Du Bois and Rengel Ojeda are facing joint charges under Section 16 of the Trafficking in Persons Act for harboring and receiving a person for exploitation. Charles is also being charged with the crime of sexual penetration of a minor.

At Chill Out Bar located on Milford Road, the officials met five women from Latin America whose ages ranged from 22 to 44 years. The women were taken for immigration processing, with two later released after their immigration status was found valid by the officials.

This was the first intelligence-based human trafficking law enforcement operation conducted by CTU in Tobago.

According to the Ministry of Homeland Security, these charges represent the latest phase of an ongoing investigation that began weeks after the arrests were made in July. CTU has stated that it will continue its efforts in the investigation of trafficking cases and identifying possible victims of exploitation.