Belize Human Trafficking: Laws, Penalties, and Reporting

Belize’s human trafficking laws criminalize both sex trafficking and forced labor under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2013, with prison sentences that run from eight years for offenses against adults up to fifteen years for public officials and diplomats convicted of trafficking.¹ A separate statute covers the commercial sexual exploitation of children, and the law gives victims access to restitution, protection from prosecution for acts they were forced to commit, and immigration relief if they are foreign nationals.

What the Trafficking in Persons Act Covers

The Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2013 is the country’s main anti-trafficking statute. It treats sex trafficking and labor trafficking as serious indictable offenses, and the maximum sentence depends on who the victim was and who the offender was.

Offenses against adult victims carry up to eight years in prison.
Offenses against child victims carry up to twelve years.
Government officials and diplomats convicted of trafficking face up to fifteen years and automatic removal from office.

Courts can impose higher sentences when aggravating circumstances are present, though the ceiling depends on the specific facts.¹

The Child Exploitation Statute

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (Prohibition) Act sits alongside the trafficking statute and targets offenses involving anyone under eighteen. Paying or offering anything of value to a child, or to someone in control of a child, for sexual purposes is punishable on its own by up to twelve years in prison.² A prosecutor can charge under this act, the trafficking act, or both depending on the conduct.

Protections Built Into the Law

The Trafficking in Persons Act shields victims from prosecution for immigration violations and other unlawful acts they were compelled to commit as a direct result of being trafficked. Without that shield, cooperating with authorities would expose victims to their own criminal charges. The State Department has repeatedly recommended that Belize apply the protection consistently.¹

Foreign victims can receive temporary residence permits, which lets them remain in the country legally while they access services or participate in prosecution. Belize’s immigration framework also lists trafficking victims as a specific category eligible for referral to the Department of Human Services.³

Identified victims are referred to the Department of Human Services’ Trafficking in Persons Care Unit, which arranges housing, medical care, counseling, and basic necessities, and works with non-governmental organizations to place victims in specialized accommodation. Courts have permitted video testimony to reduce trauma for victims who participate in prosecutions.¹

Restitution and Civil Remedies

Section 26 of the Act lets a court order a convicted trafficker to pay restitution directly to the victim, in addition to any prison sentence. Recoverable losses include:

Medical and psychological treatment costs
Transportation, temporary housing, and child care expenses
Lost income
Attorney’s fees and costs of participating in the investigation or prosecution
Any other loss resulting from the offense

A restitution order is enforceable in the same way as a civil judgment. If the convicted person cannot pay the full amount, the court can order partial payment or installments. The provision does not limit a victim’s separate right to sue the trafficker civilly for damages.⁴ Enforcement of these orders has been inconsistent in practice; the State Department has recommended that Belize make sure awarded restitution is actually paid.¹

Who Enforces the Law

The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Council coordinates the national response. It is chaired by the Ministry of Human Development, Families, and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and includes the Department of Human Services, Border Management and Immigration, the Office of Public Prosecution, Customs, and non-governmental partners. The council works through committees on operations, public education, and monitoring and evaluation.⁵

Investigations are handled by the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Police Unit inside the Belize Police Department. The unit works with international partners, and the Human Trafficking Institute provides daily mentorship to investigators on both sex and labor trafficking cases.¹

The Recent Prosecution Record

In 2024, the police unit opened investigations into 13 individuals, down from 20 the year before. The government initiated prosecutions against five suspected traffickers, ending a two-year stretch with no new prosecutions. Courts did not convict any traffickers in 2024, after two convictions in 2023. Twelve older prosecutions from prior years remained active, most of them involving sex trafficking charges. Five of the 13 new investigations were closed, three because they turned out not to involve trafficking and two because the victims chose not to participate.¹

How to Report Suspected Trafficking

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. To report suspected trafficking anonymously, contact Crime Stoppers Belize at 0-800-922-TIPS (8477). The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Council can be reached directly at +1 501-227-0840. Reports can also come through hospitals, the Immigration Department, the police, and local human services offices, which all refer identified victims to the Trafficking in Persons Care Unit.¹

1
U.S. Department of State. 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report: Belize
2
Government of Belize. Belize Code Chapter 108:02 – Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (Prohibition) Act
3
Belize Immigration Department. Amnesty – Who Qualify
4
BELIZE: Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2013. Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2013 – Section 26
5
A-Tips Belize. About