Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — A Brazilian woman wanted for human trafficking in Playa del Carmen has been captured. Débora “N” was arrested in Mexico City Wednesday and returned to Quintana Roo where she will face charges of prostitution.
Débora “N” was taken into custody by Investigative police officers assigned to the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Quintana Roo, in collaboration with the Attorney General’s Office of Mexico City.
She was taken into custody on an outstanding arrest warrant “for her probable involvement in acts possibly constituting the crime of human trafficking in the form of prostitution of others,” authorities said Thursday.
Her arrest follows the search of a home in the Residencial Allegranza subdivision of Playa del Carmen from where police rescued two women.
According to investigations, Débora “N” and her Argentine partner, Matías Gustavo “N”, who was recently charged with the same crime, recruited victims through a social networking site where they posted information requesting girls to work as escorts.
Once hooked, the women were housed in Residencial Allegranza where, taking advantage of their vulnerability as foreigners, they were forced to provide sexual services and sell drugs to clients.
Authorities say each girl was forced to earn a certain amount a day of which 30 percent went to the couple. They were also charged 10,000 a month for rent as well as more than an additional 10,000 a month for water, power and food.
“The victims were threatened by Débora “N” and her partner who told them they could not work anywhere else because there was a “mafia” and that they were going to be kidnapped because they were foreigners, so they could not escape,” police said in a statement.
Following a technical investigation, Débora “N” was located in Mexico City. In collaboration with the FGJ (Federal Attorney General’s Office), she was arrested in the Hipódromo Condesa neighborhood.
She was transferred Playa del Carmen where she was placed at the disposal of the requesting authority and subsequently admitted to the Social Reintegration Center.
