Spanish police said on Tuesday 37 people were arrested in connection with a sophisticated criminal organisation dedicated to sexual exploitation.
ADVERTISEMENT
At least 162 women have been freed, while dozens of suspects were arrested after Spanish police dismantled a human trafficking ring that lured women into the country before pressuring them into prostitution.
The women, mostly from South America, were recruited both in Spain and in their countries of origin. Without residence or work permits, they were forced into sex work, according to authorities.
The organisation operated through refurbished properties disguised as massage parlours, police said.
Authorities carried out raids in seven Spanish provinces, including Valencia, Alicante, Castellón, Barcelona, Málaga, Murcia and Tarragona, arresting 37 and seizing €141,000 in cash, three vehicles, real estate and computer equipment belonging to the network.
More than 60 bank accounts serving the human trafficking ring were frozen.
Spanish media reported that the women's living conditions in the brothels were extreme: they were allowed to go outside for only two hours a day and were locked in rooms where they served clients.
The women were subjected to video surveillance and were shuttled between different cities, with the network starting in the Valencia area and spreading to the regions of Catalonia, Murcia and Andalusia.
A police operation was sparked after three women escaped and alerted authorities to the existence of the organisation.
An investigation revealed a criminal structure involving ring leaders, property owners, as well as managers of the premises, drivers and drug dealers.
Spain's Tax Agency has also launched a property investigation focusing on money laundering connected to the trafficking ring, with raids uncovering notebooks containing detailed accounts of each premises and computers with financial documentation.