Costa Rican authorities identify seven possible trafficking victims at a venue in Sámara

Two women in dresses in orange and pink tones stand next to a metal fence in a work done using the watercolor technique. (Illustrative image Infobae)The authorities of Costa Rica identified seven possible victims of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, including Nicaraguan women, during a raid on a bar restaurant in Sámara, in the province of Guanacaste. A woman of Dominican origin, naturalized Costa Rican, was detained as a suspect of running the alleged scheme. The operation took place on the night of Thursday, October 15, at the Bar Restaurante La Jefa, according to the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners of Costa Rica. The investigation is being handled by the Professional Migration Police. The seven women identified are of Nicaraguan and Dominican nationality. The authorities did not detail how many came from Nicaragua nor did they reveal their ages, their places of origin, or their migration status. The suspect was identified by the surnames Cabrera Durán. According to the official investigation, she managed the business and would have taken advantage of her closeness with foreign women to approach those seeking employment and better income. The Professional Migration Police identified seven alleged victims of human trafficking at a bar restaurant in Guanacaste. (Image taken from 100% Noticias)The Professional Migration Police maintains that the women remained at the place without the minimum labor guarantees provided by Costa Rican legislation and that they performed sexual services in exchange for money. The hypothesis under analysis indicates that the manager received part of the profits through transfers sent to her telephone number via the National Electronic Payments System, known as SINPE. In the case of the Dominican women, the institution indicated that the contacts allegedly occurred through friends and relatives in the Dominican Republic, a country to which the detainee traveled frequently. The official information did not specify the mechanism used to recruit the Nicaraguan citizens. During the raid, agents seized more than 300,000 Costa Rican colones in cash, mobile phones, computers, and documents linked to the establishment's activity. Among the seized material were notes about clients, schedules, and amounts of money. Records of alleged sanctions applied to the women were also found, elements that will be examined by experts as part of the case for possible human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The authorities detained the manager Cabrera Durán for her alleged connection with a sexual exploitation network. (Illustrative image Infobae)The detention of Cabrera Durán does not imply a declaration of guilt. Her eventual criminal responsibility must be determined in the corresponding judicial process. The presence of Nicaraguans among the possible victims puts the focus on the vulnerability that some migrants may face when looking for work outside their country. The General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners did not report whether the seven women received specialized assistance, whether they remained under institutional protection, or whether there was contact with the consular representations of Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. It was also not communicated whether there are other people under investigation for possible participation in the events. The Costa Rican authorities asked people to confidentially report any situation related to human trafficking. Complaints can be made through the 911 emergency system or the police number 2106-4005.