Amsterdam residents arrested for human trafficking

A 27-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman from Amsterdam were arrested on Friday on suspicion of human trafficking, the Koninklijke Marechaussee announced on Monday. They're suspected of illegally bringing women from South America to the Netherlands and forcing them to work as prostitutes. The victims had no residency documents or work permits.

A team of the Konlinklijke Marechaussee stationed at Schiphol arrested the suspects during a raid on their Amsterdam home on Friday. Another house in Amsterdam was also searched, where a number of South American women were housed by the suspects, the Marechaussee said. Data carriers, cash money, and various other goods were seized from the homes for further investigation.

The suspects are in restricted custody and will be arraigned in Arnhem on Monday. The Koninklijke Marechaussee, a policing force that works as part of the Dutch military and is responsible for border security, is investigating under leadership of the Public Prosecution Service (OM).

The case is being led by the OM Oost Nederland, because the Amsterdam suspects initially operated from a house and hotels in Apeldoorn, the Marechaussee said.