Police rescue 162 women from prostitution and make arrests in Malaga province

A joint police operation has led to the release of 162 women who were victims of a sex-trafficking and exploitation organisation. The network operated in several Spanish provinces, including Malaga.

In addition, 37 people have been arrested and 39 searches have been carried out in several provinces. The investigation targeted the homes of 11 of the key members as well as the premises that were used for the organisation's purposes. A total of 141,000 euros and three vehicles have been seized and bank assets and accounts have been blocked.

The organisation would recruit vulnerable women of South American origin and exploit their lack of residence and work permits. They would force them to work as sex workers throughout Spain, mostly in Valencia, but also in Murcia, Malaga, Barcelona and Tarragona.

The suspects would rent properties through legal channels and camouflage them as massage parlours. They would keep the premises closed at all times, maintaining deplorable living conditions inside.

The network was detected by the police after three of the victims reported having been sexually exploited. In parallel, the tax agency in Valencia investigated the suspects' assets, detecting money-laundering and identifying the leaders. The asset investigation remains open.

The sexual exploitation victims were only allowed to go out for two hours a day, always in the morning, and had to be available at all times. They slept crammed in bunk beds or directly on the same bed where they served the clients. The women would be controlled through the surveillance systems installed in every property used by the organisation.

In addition, they would only be given 50% of what they earned and, sometimes, they would be subjected to fines by the criminal network.