POINT BLANCHE--Investigators searched former State Secretary of Public Health Joan Smart Berkel’s home on Tuesday morning in connection with the human-trafficking case code-named “Papegaai”.
Berkel cooperated with the investigators and authorities have not indicated whether she is a suspect in the case.
Casa Blanca brothel owner C.P. has been arrested along with three other suspects believed to be involved in human trafficking as part of the investigation. Members of the Royal Marechaussees, Kingdom Detective Cooperation Team RST, Customs, police and the Prosecutor’s Office jointly carried out searches in November.
The search on Tuesday was performed by the same organisations and a Judge of Instruction from the Court of First Instance.
Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Karlola van Nie said in an invited comment, “I can confirm that a house search did take place on Tuesday early morning in connection with the case ‘Papegaai.’ No arrests were made and that is all I can say at this time about the case.”
The Prosecutor’s Office has cooperated intensively with the Prosecutor’s Office of the Dominican Republic, which led to the arrest of three main suspects who were taken into custody on suspicion of exploitation of mainly women from the Dominican Republic. A fourth suspect was arrested later for firearm possession. House searches were also part of the investigation.
Chief Prosecutor Ton Maan requested that the Minister of Justice suspend Casa Blanca’s business licence while awaiting further criminal investigation and the verdict, but it emerged in a recent court decision that such decision had not been made.
Six firearms, documents, cash and digital equipment were found during the November 16 searches and confiscated for further investigation. A similar search was carried out in St. Eustatius at an erotic club that has ties to the suspects involved in this case.
