Probe into human trafficking and prostitution in Castlebar

Probe into human trafficking and prostitution in Castlebar


Michael Duffy

GARDAÍ have confirmed that their investigations are ongoing in Castlebar after allegations of human trafficking and prostitution were made during the hearing of a case in Castlebar District Court last week.
A young woman was appearing before court for the second time after being arrested in Castlebar, having failed to produce a passport, or other immigration documentation, when asked to by a local garda.
The defending solicitor in the case has passed on information to gardaí in Castlebar that the woman claimed to have her documentation taken off her on arrival in Ireland, and after spending five days at a house in Dublin, she was transferred to a house in Castlebar where she was detained with another lady. In court last week, the defending solicitor said she was providing a ‘sexual service’.
Supt Ray Brennan confirmed to The Mayo News yesterday (Monday) that an investigation into the allegations was ongoing and that Castlebar gardaí had been liaising with their colleagues in the Garda National Immigrant Bureau in relation to the matter.
Eight arrests were made last week across the country after an investigation into the smuggling of women from Brazil, Nigeria and Namibia to be used as prostitutes.