Two sentenced to more than 10 years for human trafficking of Bolivian women in Iquique and Alto Hospicio
The Iquique Court sentenced two people for recruiting women in Bolivia and sexually exploiting them in Chile between 2022 and 2024.
Iquique Court rules against trafficking network with victims recruited in Bolivia
The Iquique Oral Criminal Trial Court condemned two people to sentences of 10 years and one day of effective imprisonment each for the consummated and aggravated crime of human trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation, according to diarioconstitucional.cl. The offences span the period between 2022 and 8 January 2024, in the communes of Iquique and Alto Hospicio.
Both condemned individuals also received separate sentences of six years imprisonment on a second consummated charge of human trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation. The court imposed fines of 50 UTM for each conviction, along with perpetual absolute disqualification from holding public office and positions, political rights and absolute disqualification from professional roles for the duration of their sentences.
Recruitment in Bolivia and clandestine transfer to Chile
According to facts established beyond reasonable doubt, the condemned—jointly with other individuals—operated a scheme designed to recruit women of various ages to engage in prostitution in properties located in Iquique and Alto Hospicio.
Recruitment was carried out through trips to Bolivia or through third parties who facilitated contacts. In some cases, the accused coordinated the irregular entry of women into the country, paying for them to cross the border illegally or collecting them directly at the border crossing. For these transfers they used, among other means, a truck driven by one of the accused. On other occasions they waited for women at various points in the Tarapacá Region to transport them to the residences.
They also received women who arrived independently at the properties after obtaining information about those locations through third parties.
Strict control and internal fines as a mechanism of subjection
Once installed in the properties, victims were required to engage in prostitution under the direct control of the accused, who established operational rules and restricted their freedom of movement. The women had to request permission to leave the residences; permits were granted only for brief periods. If they failed to respect the set schedules, they were imposed economic fines that were later deducted from the income generated by sexual services.
Payments for such services were received directly by those in charge of each property, preventing women from freely disposing of the money they produced. The court considered that these elements configured an articulated system of recruitment, transfer and reception under conditions of control and exploitation.
Raids on 8 January 2024 and discovery of a minor
The investigation was carried out by the Local Public Prosecutor's Office of Alto Hospicio in conjunction with the OS9 unit of the Carabineros. The proceedings made it possible to obtain judicial orders for entry and search of the properties linked to the accused. During the raids executed on 8 January 2024, police officers found numerous women who had entered Chile for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.
Among those affected was an adolescent who had begun working in one of the properties when she was 16 years old. This information was considered within the facts established in the proceedings and constituted one of the aggravating factors in the sentence.
DNA registry and seizure of items
The court ordered that, once the sentence becomes final, biological samples be taken from both condemned individuals to determine their genetic profiles and incorporate them into the National DNA Registry of Convicted Persons. It also ordered the seizure of items confiscated during the police procedure.
Source: Google News BO — Crime