Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PARAMARIBO434
2008-10-14 18:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Paramaribo
Cable title:  

SURINAME: POLICE TIP UNIT RESCUES TWO TEENAGE MINORS

Tags:  PGOV KTIP SNAR NS 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPO #0434 2881841
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141841Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0422
INFO RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN 2061
UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000434 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR JACKIE ROSHOLT
G/TIP FOR JANE SIGMON
WHA/PPC FOR SCOTT MILLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KTIP SNAR NS
SUBJECT: SURINAME: POLICE TIP UNIT RESCUES TWO TEENAGE MINORS

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000434

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR JACKIE ROSHOLT
G/TIP FOR JANE SIGMON
WHA/PPC FOR SCOTT MILLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KTIP SNAR NS
SUBJECT: SURINAME: POLICE TIP UNIT RESCUES TWO TEENAGE MINORS


1. (SBU) Summary. During a routine nightclub check, officers from
the Surinamese Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Unit discovered two
minor teenage Guyanese girls being used for sexual exploitation.
The club manager was arrested and her daughter, also under suspicion
of involvement, is being sought by the police. The club's owner is
the former District Secretary for Nickerie and has served a prior
sentence for trafficking in persons in a separate case. The Police
TIP Unit has provided Post with a list of known prostitution
locations in Suriname, five of which are owned by one U.S. citizen
and her husband. End Summary.


2. (U) On September 27, officers from the Surinamese Police
Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Unit discovered two female teenage
minors from Guyana at the Nickerie nightclub "House of Mouse." Lead
Investigator of the Police TIP Unit, Vincent Wijngaarde, told Poloff
that, upon interviewing the girls, the officers learned that they
had been recruited from Guyana and brought to Nickerie for sexual
exploitation at the nightclub. The police arrested the nightclub
manager, a Guyanese woman who has lived in Suriname for several
years, and are actively searching for the manager's daughter, who is
also believed to have been involved in the case.


3. (U) The official owner of the nightclub is former Nickerie
District Secretary Hesdy Veira, who was arrested and convicted of
TIP in a separate case in 2005. He was sentenced to two and a half
years imprisonment in that case and was subsequently released in

2007. Investigator Wijngaarde said that Veira has claimed ignorance
of the current case and has laid full blame on the club manager.
Still, the police investigators are looking at whether Veira was
involved or knew about the trafficking.


4. (SBU) After their rescue, the two minors were released into the
care of the TIP Foundation, which has been designated by the
Government of Suriname as the entity responsible for victim
protection. Still undetermined is whether the victims will remain
in Suriname for the prosecution of their trafficker(s) or at what
point they will be repatriated.


5. (SBU) The Police TIP Unit also provided Post with a list of known
prostitution locations, which they monitor regularly for TIP
victims. Post notes that one family enterprise that owns five
locations is run by a couple, and the wife is a U.S. citizen.
Another unrelated location is run by a former police inspector.


6. (SBU) Comment. In the past few years, Post has actively
undertaken projects to support the Police TIP Unit, including but
not limited to providing equipment and vehicles which enable the
Unit to continue its monitoring efforts. The Police TIP Unit's
regular checks on known prostitution locations have resulted in
noteworthy TIP victim identification, substantially advancing
Government of Suriname TIP interdiction efforts. Post will now
focus more resources on victim protection based on the documented
successes of the TIP Unit in identifying TIP victims. End Comment.

SCHREIBER HUGHES