Two siblings face 256 years in prison as alleged ringleaders of trafficking and prostitution ring in Malaga

What is believed to be one of the largest networks of trafficking women for the purpose of sexual exploitation that has ever operated in Malaga has been broken up. According to the police investigation, more than 500 victims were forced to work as prostitutes in inhumane conditions that put their health at risk in four flats that the alleged organisation ran in Malaga city. Two siblings - a man and a woman - of Ecuadorian origin were allegedly in charge of the scheme, which saw another dozen women accused. The prosecutor's office is asking for sentences totalling 256 years in prison for the two relatives.

According to the conclusions of the public prosecutor's office, to which SUR has had access, the alleged ringleaders, together with the defendant's partner and another woman, had been managing the transfer of women from Latin American countries (most of them from Colombia) since 2021 to sexually exploit them in Malaga. Both face the same sentences as the two siblings (128 years each).

Not all the victims were in the same circumstances, according to the prosecution, but what they did have in common was that they were in a situation of extreme need and that they were carrying family burdens in their countries, which the network would have taken advantage of. Most of them were allegedly recruited in Colombia with false offers to work in beauty salons or similar jobs in Malaga.

The prosecutor pointed out in its written statement that the scheme had four flats - in the Cruz de Humilladero, Huelin and Camino de Suárez areas - in which the women were sexually exploited in "unconscionable conditions". To do this, the main defendants allegedly took charge of buying the flight tickets and instructing the victims on what to do once they landed at Malaga Airport.

The organisation only informed the victims that they would have to prostitute themselves once they were already in the network's brothels, where they would live. According to the public prosecution, they had no choice but to obey, otherwise they would be left on the streets, which added to the fact that they were in the country completely alone and without papers, in addition to the debt incurred for their travels.

They allegedly also recruited women who were already in Spain, who were also in vulnerable situations due to lack of documentation and employment. Although they did tell them that they were going to work in brothels, they lied to them about the conditions. At no point were they warned that these would be inhumane and that they would put their health at serious risk, as they were allegedly even forced to have sex without a condom. According to the prosecutor's office, they were under the control of the 'mamis' in the houses, who forced them to remain available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in case a man came looking for sex.

The victims also did not have the option to refuse any clients, regardless of whether they were aggressive or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In addition, they were allegedly made to distribute narcotic substances such as cocaine or Viagra. This sometimes resulted in them being subjected to hours of sexual practices during which they suffered injuries, despite which, they had to continue working.

The organisation kept them under control through cameras distributed in the flats and, above all, trapped by the debt contracted to come to Spain, which was continuously increased through a system of fines. They were only allowed to leave for two hours and, if they took ten minutes longer than the agreed time, they were fined. They were also fined if the flat was not kept clean.

The case has been on trial at the Malaga provincial court since Tuesday and is due to finish today (Friday 4 July). Each of the four main defendants are facing a request for 128 years in prison for a crime of membership of a criminal group; nine crimes of human trafficking - with eight relating to prostitution and one against workers' rights; eleven relating to prostitution and trafficking in large quantities of substances that cause serious damage to health. The sum total of the sentences requested by the prosecutor's office for the four of them amounts to 512 years in prison.

For the other defendants, the alleged 'mamis', the public prosecutor's office initially requested sentences of around 60 years for each of them as alleged perpetrators of 19 crimes related to prostitution and drug trafficking. However, according to sources close to the case, this request has been considerably reduced to two years and without imprisonment, after the defendants acknowledged their involvement in the crimes.