crime
Those under arrest ran seven hostess services in Almería with women who had been smuggled into Spain, police officials said on Friday
25.04.09 - 09:17 -
Spanish police arrested 17 people, including an ex-director of a bank branch office, involved in a scheme of money laundering and the sexual exploitation of women of Brazilian and Russian origin.
Those under arrest ran seven hostess services in Almería with women who had been smuggled into Spain, police officials said on Friday.
The ex-director of the bank branch had allegedly directed the laundering of 12 million euros since 2007.
According to the same officials, police authorities in Brazil, France and Russia helped dismantle the criminal network, made up of 13 companies fronting for the illegal operations and run by family, friends and employees.
Those under arrest are accused of crimes of aiding illegal immigration, violating workers' rights, sexual exploitation of foreign citizens, money laundering, illicit possession of arms and criminal conspiracy.
The investigations got under way thanks to information shared by immigration and border authorities and the Judicial Police about two groups of people involved in sexual and labour exploitation of women of Russian and Brazilian origin in Spain.
In searches carried out in connection with the arrests, police seized 70,000 euros in cash, many jewels, a variety of ammunition, four shotguns and two handguns with silencers.
