Cuban Woman and Argentine Man Charged With Human Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation in Cancun

Cancun, Quintana Roo — A Cuban woman and an Argentine man have been formally charged with human trafficking for forcing at least six women into prostitution, the Quintana Roo State Prosecutor’s Office announced.

The suspects, identified as Elvia de Caridad “N” and Agustín “N,” were arrested during a raid on a property where authorities found six women who are believed to be victims of the trafficking ring.

According to investigators, the pair recruited vulnerable women by promising them well-paying jobs in Cancun’s tourism sector. Once the women arrived, they were allegedly forced to provide sexual services.

The victims included two Mexican women, two Paraguayan women, and two Venezuelan women, the prosecutor’s office said. The suspects allegedly created catalogs with photographs of the women in lingerie, nude, or in suggestive poses, using pseudonyms and phone numbers to advertise the services.

Investigators said the victims charged between 2,500 and 7,000 pesos (approximately $125 to $350) per sexual service. Half of that amount went to the traffickers, while the women kept the rest — but they also had to cover expenses for transportation, profile listings, and payments toward a supposed debt incurred for their travel to Cancun.

A judge ordered both suspects held in pretrial detention for up to two years or the duration of the judicial process, after reviewing evidence presented by the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Crimes of Human Trafficking.