Three merchants of Asian origin are in preventive detention for alleged links to a crime against humanity in the form of trafficking in persons for labor exploitation.

The detention follows a Saturday appearance before Judge of guarantees  Julissa Saturno in  Herrera.

A fourth defendant is under house arrest and a fifth in the run.

On September 12, the Special Prosecutor's Office against Crime dismantled a criminal network allegedly dedicated to trafficking in persons for labor exploitation.

In the operation the release  of 23 people was achieved, including six Venezuelans, three Chinese, two Nicaraguans, in the Renacimiento neighborhood, city of Chitré. 

At the five hour  hearing, which was held in room 1 of the Herrera Accusatory Criminal System Saturn legalized the seizure of telephone data obtained by the Prosecutor's Office against Organized Crime. and

and laid charges for the alleged crime of trafficking in persons for labor exploitation that occurred in the company Importadora y Exportadora Limite, SA located in Chitré. 

Prosecutor Isaura Mejía, on behalf of the Public Prosecutor's Office , said that the four defendants are being investigated for facilitating the displacement in the national territory, for approximately three years, of female and male nationals and foreigners in "conditions of vulnerability", since their documents were withheld to "exploit them  into forced labor".

Mejía said  that there is a fifth person linked to the crime , but is outside the country.

Ddefense lawyer, Arcelio Mojica, requested that his clients be granted bail of $ 10,000, $ 15,000 and $18,000, which was denied,

The lawyer appealed the precautionary measure imposed on his defendants and the hearing was set for September 20, which will be presided over by the Superior Court of Appeals of the Fourth Judicial District, which includes Herrera and Los Santos.