Two women of Hanover addresses have been arrested and charged in connection with the trafficking of three girls, all under the age of 16.

The charges were laid last week by members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Anti-Trafficking Vice Squad.

Those charged are 33-year-old Nicole Brissett, of Lucea, Hanover and 39-year-old Nicola Johnson of Hanover and St Thomas addresses.

The JCF has been signalling in recent times that it will be getting tougher on human trafficking.

Earlier this month, the Minister of National Security, Dr Horace Chang, called for renewed focus by CARICOM Member States on combatting the scourges of human trafficking and the illicit firearms trade.

As it relates to human trafficking, Chang said the perpetrators of this crime continue to exploit the region’s most vulnerable who are forced into labour, sexual servitude, and debt bondage.

He pointed out that the latest United Nations (UN) Office on Drugs and Crime Global Report on Trafficking in Persons shows that around one-third of all detected victims are children, a figure that has tripled over the past 15 years.

“Indeed, we can all agree that renewed and reinvigorated action against this crime is needed more than ever, as economic hardship, conflict, and health and climate emergencies globally are increasing and compounding vulnerabilities to trafficking, exploitation and abuse,” Dr. Chang said.

Chang, who is also Jamaica’s Deputy Prime Minister, was addressing the 24th meeting of the Council for National Security and Law Enforcement in Trelawny on October 6.