VICTORIA -- Two of the four Vancouver Island residents who were charged with human trafficking in Saskatchewan last week were granted bail in Swift Current, Sask., according to Swift Current Online.

Shermineh Sheri Ziaee and Shawn Alexander Kelly, of Victoria, were granted bail terms while twin brothers Seyed Kourosh Miralinghi and Seyed Kamran Miralinaghi, of Nanaimo, were denied bail.

Zaiee, 36, who is believed to be the mother of the Miralinaghis brothers, was granted bail on a $1,000 deposit accompanied with a number of conditions. The release conditions include:

  • report to a probation officer within two days of release;
  • follow a curfew;
  • possess no weapons other than for culinary purposes or work;
  • no contact with a list of people including those she was arrested with and a complainant;
  • stay within 100 kilometres of her residence;
  • no contact with people under the age of 18 unless under approved circumstances;
  • agree to have her cell phone searched;
  • not possess more than one electronic communications device

Meanwhile, Kelly, 23 was granted bail with a number of release terms, including:

  • abstaining from drugs or alcohol;
  • no contact with anyone under the age of 18 under unless under approved circumstances;
  • no contact with complainants, or coaccused;
  • stay away from areas where children may be;
  • stay within 150 kilometres of his residence;
  • follow a curfew;
  • and contact a probation officer following release

The four Vancouver Island residents were arrested for human trafficking on Jan. 28 after an off-duty Mountie in Saskatchewan spotted three vehicles with tinted windows speeding along the Trans-Canada Highway in excess of 153 km/h.

Police officers then pulled over the convoy and grew suspicious when they noticed two young girls in the back seats of the vehicles.

The girls, who are both under 18 and are from B.C., did not have identification at the time, according to police.

The four Vancouver Islanders were then arrested for charges of transporting a person under 18 for the purpose of exploitation; procuring a person to offer or provide sexual services; and knowingly advertising to provide sexual services.

One of the brothers, Seyed Kourosh Miralinaghi, 19, was previously arrested in Nanaimo for similar crimes on Feb. 24, 2019. He was scheduled to answer for the charges of procuring a minor, advertising sexual services and benefiting from the sexual services of someone under the age of 18 in Nanaimo court on Feb. 11, 2020.

As of Wednesday, the Miralinaghi brothers remain in police custody in Saskatchewan. All four individuals are scheduled to appear in court again on March 11.