A 33-year-old businesswoman was on Thursday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after it is alleged she trafficked a teenage girl for sexual exploitation.

Carmeletta Thorman was charged with the offence which alleged that between June 1 and July 30 at Omai, Region Seven she transported, trafficked and harboured the 15-year-old girl for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

The unrepresented woman was refused bail on the nature of the offence; the matter was adjourned until November 24. Thorman was arrested on November 11, following a surprise raid in the Omai mining area, Region Seven carried out by a team which included officials from the Ministry of Social Protection, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Police Force and the Community Policing Group in Linden.

At the time of the raid, the officials were following up on a tip-off about a missing person who was said to be a TIP victim. Five alleged human trafficking victims were rescued. The missing person, a male who claimed to be under-age and had no identification was found to be the only adult among the victims.

Three of the alleged victims were reintegrated with their families while the others remain under the protection of the Ministry assisting investigators.