MADRID (Reuters) – Spanish police have smashed a human trafficking ring that lured more than 1,000 women to the country over the past year with false job offers before forcing them into sex work, police said on Sunday.
The women, who were mainly from Venezuela and Colombia, were told they would be working in the beauty or cleaning sectors, Spain’s National Police said in a statement.
“On arrival in Spain they were transferred to clubs where they were sexually exploited and forced to work all hours,” police said.
The women were only allowed out for two hours per day and were kept under video surveillance.
Three alleged ring leaders – two Colombian women and a Spaniard – were among 48 suspects arrested in raids in Alicante and Murcia, in southeastern Spain, and three strip clubs were closed as part of the operation.
Police also seized more than 150,000 euros ($157,000) in cash, blocked bank accounts containing 938,000 euros ($980,960) and seized 17 properties.
Six of the suspects were held in pre-trial detention, police said. The others were released on bail to face trial at a later date.
($1 = 0.9562 euros)
(Reporting by Graham Keeley; Editing by Helen Popper)
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