Two Venezuelan women were also detained
The Royal Netherlands Customs Agency arrested a 36-year-old man from Amersfoort on Monday at Groningen Airport Eelde, on suspicion of human trafficking, reports the Groninger Internet Courant.
The man was picked up by the Marechaussee (Dutch customs) after he had dropped off two Venezuelan women at the airport. Staff from the check-in counter had called the Marechaussee to check the two womens’ travel documents.
The women were found to be staying illegally in The Netherlands, and were about to leave for Spain.
After an initial investigation it appeared that the two women were working in prostitution and were in possession of large amounts of money.
The women have been refused to travel further and have been placed in detention. The man has been arrested for human trafficking.
In addition to the suspicion of human smuggling, the Marechaussee is also investigating whether money laundering has occurred. These are ongoing, and supported by the Dutch public prosecution service (Openbaar Ministrie).
Venezuela is currently going through a protracted political and social crisis, which started in the final years of Hugo Chavez’ rule. His successor, Nicolas Maduro, has refused to renege his grip on power, despite having lost several elections for the Venezuelan National Assembly. The crisis has been marked by significant political repression, economic hyper-inflation, and the fleeing of several tens of thousands of vulnerable Venezuelans.
Image: Dutch PM Mark Rutte pays a visit to the Koninklijke Nederlandse Marechaussee at Schiphol Airport in 2011. Image via Flickr/WikiMedia. License here.
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