The National Police, in collaboration with Europol, freed 21 women who were sexually exploited in brothels by a criminal group established in several Spanish provinces, including Burgos.
The women, of Latin American origin, were recruited in their country and, once in Spain, they were obliged to provide sexual services to repay a debt contracted which amounts to 7,000 euros.
The dismantled criminal organization is said to have sold some of its victims to other traffickers for sums close to 1,000 euros. An operation which resulted in the arrest of nine people in Ourense.
Five people were arrested in Ourense, one in A Coruña, another in Burgos, one in Cuenca and another in Madrid.
The police investigation began following information received indicating the arrival in Spain of a victim of human trafficking. The investigations carried out by the agents made it possible to locate the woman and confirm the existence of a criminal organization.
The victims were women in vulnerable situations who went to Spain with the aim of improving their living conditions. The exploiters provided them with hotel reservations, travel medical insurance and a flight back to their city in order to simulate their status as tourists.
Investigators discovered several brothels managed and controlled by the criminal organization, spread across different locations. They practiced prostitution throughout the day and the profit obtained was shared 50/50 with the network.
The criminal organization sold the women who worked for the network for 1,000 euros to other traffickers before being exploited or after being exploited by the same organization.
The police operation ended with nine detainees accused of being responsible for crimes of human trafficking, forced prostitution, membership in a criminal group and promotion of illegal immigration.
Seven home searches were carried out in the provinces of Orense, Lugo, Burgos, Cuenca and Seville, where eight mobile phones, 2,895 euros in cash and various documents useful to the investigation were seized.
