More Chinese nationals detained

The management of the restaurant was advised by health officers to close down until they can address several health and safety violations. Officers of the CTU are expected to interview several Chinese nationals who were taken into custody during the search. Deputy Director of the CTU, Alana Wheeler, told Newsday that the immigrants working at the restaurants may not only be victims of poor living conditions but poor labour conditions as well.

“Human trafficking is not just about sexual exploitation, human trafficking is also about labour issues,” said Wheeler. “For example what you would find here is that some people are being paid below minimum wage. If their sleeping or living conditions are not up to a certain standard, those are also violations and we are seeing that there are persons that live on the compound.” On Monday, ten persons were detained and taken to the CTU office on Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, after CTU officers, health inspectors, immigration officers and police officers conducted a search of Me Asia on Ariapita Avenue.