Trinidad: 14-year-old girl rescued, four arrested in major anti-trafficking operation ‘Ironheart’ 

Trinidad and Tobago: A 14-year-old girl was rescued while four others were nabbed following a major anti-human trafficking sting operation in Penal-Debe on Tuesday morning.

Reportedly, the operation, codenamed Operation Ironheart, was conducted by the Counter Trafficking Unit (CTU) of the Ministry of Homeland Security and began around 5:00 a.m. on November 11 in which they target several locations linked to a suspected human trafficking network.

The focus of the team was linked to the trafficking of a 14-year-old Latin American girl, who had been rescued and is now under the protection of the Children’s Authority. Additionally, the authorities arrested two Trinidadian and two Venezuelan men, believed to be directly linked to the trafficking network.

The coordinated mission reportedly involved multiple security agencies, including the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, Defence Force Intelligence Unit (DFIU), Special Forces Operations Detachment (SFOD), and several specialized units of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) , such as the Financial Investigations Branch, Special Investigations Unit/Task Force, and the Southern and South Western Divisions’ Task Forces.

Officers from the Immigration Division also assisted in capturing 3 additional Venezuelan nationals also arrested in the process for immigration violations.

Tuesday’s crackdown follows the arrest of David Daniel Barnes who was arrested on November 10 in connection with an illegal firearm recovered by the CTU and DFIU, during Operation G-Ride earlier this year.

A firearm that was previously traced to a human trafficking ring that was dismantled in Tunapuna in June 2025. Following his arrest, Barnes was charged with firearm and ammunition offences but was granted $20,000 surety bail by a Master of the High Court while awaiting trial.

Roger Alexander, Minister of Homeland Security commended the team for their successful mission, of both Operation Ironheart and Operation G-Ride, calling them key components of a national strategy to dismantle organized trafficking networks.

He further highlighted that the success of the operations demonstrates what is possible when Trinidad and Tobago’s agencies work together with focus and resolve, noting that the Ministry of Homeland Security remains committed to ensuring the nation does not become a haven for human trafficking. Standing in solidarity with the ministry, the CTU also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting victims, prosecuting traffickers, and strengthening national prevention measures.