32 victims of sexual exploitation and five people who were being exploited for labor have been rescued
Agents of the National Police and Officials of Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency in Murcia have carried out a joint operation directed by the Court of First Instance number 1 of Cartagena that has allowed the dismantling of a criminal organization dedicated to the sexual exploitation of foreign women in irregular situations in Spain in different establishments located in the Region of Murcia.
The investigation, initiated at the beginning of last year, allowed the National Police officers to verify the existence of a criminal organization in the Region of Murcia that would be exploiting foreign women in irregular situations in various clubs, where they were forced to engage in prostitution under permanent control and abusive conditions.
To date, five searches have been carried out, one at the home of two of the suspects and the rest in premises open to the public, which have allowed the liberation of 32 women victims of sexual exploitation, in addition to locating five other people who were being exploited for labor, as reported by sources from the National Police in a statement.
The victims, who had allegedly been intimidated with firearms by members of the criminal organization, were subjected to harsh restrictive conditions of freedom, being forced to be available seven days a week, under 24-hour surveillance, induced to sell alcohol and drugs to their clients, and having to bear all expenses related to cleaning, electricity, or sheets, among other things, imposing financial fines on them if they did not comply with the established rules.
During the searches, the agents were able to seize €785,000 in cash, over a kilogram of cocaine, marijuana, firearms, 10 high-end vehicles, and a large quantity of luxury jewelry and watches. As a result of this operation, the immediate cessation of activity was ordered at a hotel, a night entertainment venue, and a cafeteria.
In addition to the closure of establishments linked to the allegedly criminal activity, the Court of First Instance number 1 of Cartagena has agreed on various asset measures to ensure the financial responsibility that could arise from the crimes under investigation and prevent assets from disappearing or being hidden during the investigation.
In particular, several of the suspects have been prohibited from selling or disposing of their homes and other properties, as well as their vehicles. Bank accounts have also been frozen and balances and interests deposited in them have been provisionally seized.
The National Police officers and Customs Surveillance Officials of the Tax Agency in Murcia arrested 14 people for these acts, who are accused of the following crimes: criminal organization, crimes related to prostitution, sexual assault, against workers’ rights, facilitating illegal immigration, illegal possession of weapons, against public health, and money laundering.
The presiding judge of the Court ordered the provisional imprisonment of four of the five suspects brought before the court last May.
Currently, two of them remain under these precautionary measures, and the other three are at liberty with a prohibition on leaving the national territory, passport withdrawal, and obligation to appear in court. The victims of sexual exploitation were assisted by APRAMP, the Association for the Prevention, Reintegration, and Assistance to Prostituted Women.
