45-year-old Orlando Charles, a Pilot, and Businessman of Lot 45 Middle Street, Georgetown was granted bail in the sum of $1.3M when he appeared before Magistrate Christel Lambert in the Bartica Magistrates Court today via zoom.
He was charged with 16 counts of trafficking in persons, contrary to section 3(1)(i) of the combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, No. 2 of 2005.
The allegation is that between 1st November 2022 and 18th May 2023, he trafficked 16 Venezuelan nationals between the Mazaruni River in Region 7 and Georgetown.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was placed on a total of $1,360,000 bail ($85,000 per charge) and the matter was adjourned to June 14, 2023.
The victims reported the matter to the Guyana Police Force, and members of the Trafficking in Persons Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters immediately conducted an investigation.
Following the investigation, legal advice was given by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for Charles to be charged with 16 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.
