17 Women Rescued From Human Trafficking Ring in Othon P. Blanco

Othon P. Blanco, Quintana Roo — Authorities rescued 17 women from a bar in this municipality where they were allegedly forced into prostitution, the State Prosecutor’s Office announced.

Investigators from the State Prosecutor’s Office and the National Guard executed a search warrant at a bar on Héroes de Chapultepec Street in the Barrio Bravo neighborhood. Inside, they found 17 Mexican women who were being exploited for sexual services.

According to preliminary investigations, the women — most of them single mothers with little education — were recruited through friends or social media ads. They initially worked as waitresses and hostesses, earning 50% of the cost of drinks, which ranged from 200 to 700 pesos ($10 to $35). They also performed erotic dances for 800 pesos ($40).

Later, the women were forced to provide sexual services for 2,000 pesos ($100), which included a bottle of liquor and use of a room on the premises.

During the raid, officers seized a bag containing a green, dry substance resembling marijuana, packages of condoms, notebooks with various notes, and a computer. The establishment was sealed and placed under the custody of the prosecutor’s office.

The 17 women were taken to the State Prosecutor’s Office to give statements. The seized evidence was turned over to the Public Ministry to open a formal investigation.