Malaga call centre used for the sexual exploitation of migrant women in France is raided

They ring the doorbell, but no one answers. The policemen ring again and wait for a couple of minutes, but the door still doesn't open.

Armed agents gesture towards each other and give directions in front of the entrance to a property in Malaga, which in reality is a call centre where operators inside are allegedly arranging meetings with migrant women who are being sexually exploited in France. After one last ring, one of the agents gives the order and the door is smashed open.

The raid was one of two searches carried out in Malaga in an attempt to dismantle a criminal network that was sexually exploiting migrant women of South American origin in France.

The police operation, carried out in collaboration with Europol, led to the release of seven women, as well as the arrest of four people for their alleged involvement in the scheme.

The investigation started in Spain after a European warrant was issued by the French authorities, leading to the international criminal network cell on the Costa del Sol.

After recruiting their victims, they were then allegedly sexually exploited in France. But the ring had an important logistical centre in Malaga, where a call centre service had been set up to receive calls from men willing to pay for sex with the women.

Some of the advertisements published on the internet to offer the services were also sent out from Spain.

Two properties were searched in Malaga and three in France where officers seized 1,500 euros in cash, 26 mobile terminals and various documents.