In short
Human trafficking is a crime in Puerto Rico. Article 159 of the Penal Code criminalizes labour-trafficking forms with a fixed prison term of 20 years, rising to 25 years where the perpetrator is the father, mother, guardian or legal tutor of a minor or disabled victim. Article 160 criminalizes sexual-exploitation forms with a fixed prison term of 40 years, rising to 50 in that same aggravated case, and the minor victim is additionally removed immediately from that person’s custody or care. Liability does not stop at the trafficker: anyone who participates in or facilitates the offence and anyone who profits from that illegal trade also commits it. Any person of any age or sex, adult or minor, can be a victim. If you suspect it, call 9-1-1 immediately; and if you suspect the victim is a minor, call the Department of the Family’s Child Abuse Hotline at (787) 749-1333.
What is it?
Exploiting a person means obtaining any kind of benefit from them, their work or their qualities, unjustly or improperly. Labour trafficking is defined as forced labour or services; servitude, for example working in appalling conditions without any pay; debt bondage, for example providing personal services to pay off an outstanding debt; forced begging, for example being made to ask for money in the streets; servile marriage, forced or in exchange for some economic benefit; adoption by coercion; slavery; and organ removal. Sexual exploitation includes activities such as pornography, prostitution, servile marriage, erotic dancing and forced pregnancies.
Who can do it?
Any person of any age or sex, adult or minor, can be a victim of human trafficking. And criminal liability is not limited to the trafficker, the person running the illegal business: anyone who participates in or facilitates the offence, and anyone who profits from this illegal trade, also commits it. Anyone who suspects can report.
Requirements
- If you suspect a person is a victim of human trafficking, calling the 9-1-1 Emergency System immediately to file the corresponding complaint.Verified against the official source
- If you suspect the victim is a minor, calling the Department of the Family’s Child Abuse Hotline at (787) 749-1333 immediately and making the corresponding referral.Verified against the official source
Documents you need
Cost
Step by step
Step 1: Ask yourself the nine questions
The Judiciary publishes the most common questions for identifying a trafficking situation: is the person free to leave their home? are they free to leave their workplace? can they move around freely, do they have freedom of movement? have they been physically, sexually or psychologically abused? do they have a valid passport or ID and is it in their possession? are the employment and wage conditions abusive, or different from what was initially agreed? do they fear something bad will happen to a family member if they leave? is there little communication with neighbours? are there minors, accompanied by adults, in places unsuitable for them? If the answer to several of these is yes, you may be facing a possible trafficking victim.
Step 2: Call 9-1-1
If you suspect a person is a victim of human trafficking, you should call the 9-1-1 Emergency System immediately to file the corresponding complaint. You do not need certainty: suspicion is the standard the page itself uses.
Step 3: If it is a minor, there is a second number
If you suspect a minor is a victim of human trafficking, call the Department of the Family’s Child Abuse Hotline at (787) 749-1333 immediately and make the corresponding referral. That line is toll-free, operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week, and is also used to report abuse, institutional abuse and neglect.
Step 4: Recognize labour trafficking
Labour trafficking is defined as forced labour or services; servitude, for example working in appalling conditions without any pay; debt bondage, for example providing personal services to settle an outstanding debt; forced begging, for example being made to ask for money in the streets; servile marriage, forced or in exchange for economic benefit; adoption by coercion; slavery; and organ removal. Article 159 of the Penal Code punishes it with a fixed prison term of 20 years, and 25 years where the perpetrator is the father, mother, guardian or legal tutor of a minor or disabled victim.
Step 5: Recognize sexual exploitation
Sexual exploitation under the trafficking offence includes activities such as pornography, prostitution, servile marriage, erotic dancing and forced pregnancies. Article 160 of the Penal Code punishes it with a fixed prison term of 40 years, and 50 years where the perpetrator is the father, mother, guardian or legal tutor of a minor or disabled victim; in that case the minor victim is also removed immediately from that person’s custody or care.
Step 6: Remember who else is liable
Not only the trafficker, the person running the illegal business. Anyone who participates in or facilitates the commission of this offence, and anyone who profits from this illegal trade, also commits human trafficking.
Where to do it
To the 9-1-1 Emergency System to file the complaint. If the possible victim is a minor, to the Department of the Family’s Child Abuse Hotline at (787) 749-1333.
How long it takes
What to do if something goes wrong
If you hesitate because you are not sure what you saw: the standard the page itself uses is suspicion, not certainty, which is why it publishes the identification questions. If what you see is a person working in appalling conditions without pay, or working off a debt, or made to beg in the street, that is named in the definition of labour trafficking. If the person does not have their passport or ID in their possession, that is one of the nine questions. If the possible victim is a minor, the number is the Child Abuse Hotline, not only 9-1-1. This guide publishes no support organizations or shelters because the Judiciary’s page names none, and gives no cost or timeframes for the same reason. PRFácil does not receive complaints.
Common mistakes
- Waiting for certainty: the page asks you to call on suspicion.
- Calling only 9-1-1 when the possible victim is a minor: the Child Abuse Hotline, (787) 749-1333, also applies there.
- Believing trafficking is only sexual exploitation: labour trafficking includes servitude, debt bondage, forced begging, servile marriage, slavery and organ removal.
- Thinking only whoever runs the business is liable: whoever participates, whoever facilitates and whoever profits is liable too.
- Assuming victims are always women or always foreigners: any person of any age or sex, adult or minor, can be one.
- Dismissing it because the person “could leave if they wanted”: fearing something will happen to their family is one of the signs the court lists.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I call if I suspect human trafficking?
To the 9-1-1 Emergency System, immediately, to file the corresponding complaint. If you suspect the victim is a minor, call the Department of the Family’s Child Abuse Hotline at (787) 749-1333 immediately and make the corresponding referral.
What is the penalty?
Article 159 of the Penal Code punishes labour-trafficking forms with a fixed prison term of 20 years, and 25 years where the perpetrator is the father, mother, guardian or legal tutor of a minor or disabled victim. Article 160 punishes sexual-exploitation forms with a fixed prison term of 40 years, and 50 years in that same aggravated case, with immediate removal of the minor victim from that person’s custody or care.
Is only whoever runs the business committing the offence?
No. Besides the trafficker, who runs the illegal business, anyone who participates in or facilitates the commission of this offence and anyone who profits from this illegal trade also commits human trafficking.
What counts as exploitation?
Exploiting a person means obtaining any kind of benefit from them, their work or their qualities, unjustly or improperly. Labour trafficking covers forced labour or services, servitude, debt bondage, forced begging, servile marriage, adoption by coercion, slavery and organ removal. Sexual exploitation covers pornography, prostitution, servile marriage, erotic dancing and forced pregnancies.
Official sources
These are the government pages this guide is based on.
- Poder Judicial de Puerto Rico
Poder Judicial
poderjudicial.pr
- Judiciary — Child abuse
Poder Judicial
poderjudicial.pr
Last verified
August 14, 2026
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