PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI – In a dramatic cross-border takedown, Haitian police have arrested Maria Estela Fajardo, the Dominican owner of the notorious nightclub “La Patrona”, following an INTERPOL-led manhunt tied to the disappearance of a minor and allegations of a sprawling sexual exploitation ring. The arrest, confirmed by Haiti’s National Police (DGPNH) in a fiery Monday statement, marks a chilling escalation in the fight against transnational crime in the Caribbean.
Fajardo, whose Tabarre 36-based club has long lurked in the shadows of Haiti’s nightlife scene, was collared on January 29, 2025, after Dominican authorities accused her of masterminding crimes that span borders and betray humanity. “This arrest underscores our zero-tolerance stance against those who prey on the vulnerable,” the DGPNH declared, vowing to “drag these operations into the light.”
Allo la Police, the Haitian police’s investigative unit, revealed grim details: Fajardo had been on INTERPOL’s radar for months, with Dominican prosecutors linking her to a missing minor and a network allegedly trafficking women and girls for sexual exploitation. The Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ) is now racing to untangle the web, coordinating with INTERPOL to fast-track extradition and prosecutions.
The case rips open raw tensions in the region, where human trafficking syndicates often exploit porous borders. Haitian officials seized the moment to tout strengthened international alliances, pledging to “burn down the bridges” used by traffickers. Yet critics argue systemic corruption and scarce resources continue to hamper justice.
As Fajardo awaits her fate, activists demand answers: Was “La Patrona” a neon-lit nightmare hiding in plain sight? And how many more victims remain silenced by the cycle of exploitation?
