Cubans get bail over alleged Prashad Nagar human trafficking ring

Cuban nationals Raudel Valverde and Yenifer María Quevedo Millán, who were earlier this month remanded to prison on Trafficking in Persons (TIP)-related offences, were on Thursday granted bail when they made their second court appearance. Valverde was charged with unlawfully withholding documents and recruiting by force or coercion for the purpose of exploitation, while Quevedo Millán was charged with harbouring for the purpose of exploitation.

Both accused reappeared before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, where they were able to secure bail. Valverde was granted $150,000 for unlawfully withholding documents and $750,000 for TIP recruitment. Quevedo Millán, on the other hand, was placed on $750,000 for TIP and harbouring. As part of their bail conditions, Police stated that they are required to report to the TIP Unit at Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters every Friday until the determination of the matter. They will make their next court appearance on June 19, 2026.
The charges that were read against Valverde earlier this month stated that between March 1 and April 19, 2026, at Amla Avenue, Prashad Nagar, he recruited several individuals by means of deception for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. Police further stated that between April 11 and 12, 2026, at the same location, he acted or purported to act as an employment agent and knowingly confiscated the woman’s passport in furtherance of trafficking. It was reported that the accused initially contacted the virtual complainant (VC) and offered her legitimate employment as a store salesperson in Guyana. However, upon her arrival in the country, Valverde collected her passport and refused to return it unless she repaid a sum of US$5400.

He and his co-accused then forced the woman into commercial sex work at the Magic City Nightclub, where she was allegedly required to work every night. Further, he allegedly informed her that she was indebted to him and demanded monthly rent of US$300 for accommodation at his residence in Prashad Nagar.
In light of the demands, the woman refused to work and moved out of the Prashad Nagar address to another property in Melanie, East Coast of Demerara (ECD), where she met approximately 28 other Cuban nationals engaged in similar activities. The second defendant, Quevedo Millán, was accused of harbouring the VC through force or other means of coercion for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation between April 11 and 19, 2026. Earlier this month, the court was told that she had knowledge of the victim’s situation and actively assisted in recruiting, harbouring and coercing her while benefiting financially through rent payments. At that time and based on all the evidence presented in court, the Magistrate remanded both of the accused with a fixed date of May 28 to return to court.