Anti-Human Trafficking Team investigating into serious recent cases
On Saturday, June 25, 2022, a number of Cubans were discovered in a hotel in Philipsburg. Subsequently, on July 4, 2022, several were detained on the French side of the island aboard a boat that was most likely going to smuggle them to the U.S. Virgin Islands. The captain(s) escaped capture.
The Human Trafficking/Smuggling team of St. Maarten has indications of connections to the Dutch side in the suspected smuggling case. Arrests are expected in the near future.
In another case, on August 21, 2022, a number of unauthorized migrants arrived aboard a boat in Haulover Bay, St. John, USVI. That boat, based in investigation, departed from St. Martin (the French side). The boat dropped off the unauthorized migrants along the shore to swim to land. In the process, two unauthorized migrants lost their lives.
The Human Trafficking/Smuggling Team is also investigating links of this human smuggling case on the Dutch side of the island and does not rule out further arrests.
Smuggling people or assisting in any way to do so is punishable under the Penal Code of Sint Maarten, Article 2:154.
The Human Trafficking/Smuggling Team urges anyone in the community with information about human smuggling/trafficking to share this by contacting the Sint Maarten Police Force KPSM via telephone + 1 721 542 2222, ext. 614/604 or the anonymous tip line 9300.
