At least 162 women have been released, but dozens of suspects have been arrested after Spanish police dismantled a trafficking ring that seduced women into the country before they put pressure on prostitution.
Women mostly from South America were recruited in both Spain and in their countries of origin. Authorities say they were forced to do sex work without a residence or work permit.
The organization is operated through a renovated facility disguised as a massage parlor, police said.
Authorities have raided seven Spanish provinces, including Valencia, Alicante, Casterone, Barcelona, Malaga, Murcia and Tarragona, arresting 37, earning 141,000 euros and seizing 141,000 euros on three vehicles, real estate and computer equipment belonging to the network.
More than 60 bank accounts serving human trafficking rings have been frozen.
Spanish media reported that living conditions for women in brothels are extreme. They could only go outside for two hours a day and were locked up in the room where they served their clients.
Women were exposed to video surveillance and shuttles between different cities, and the network began in the Valencia region and spread to the regions of Catalonia, Murcia and Andalusia.
A police operation was triggered after three women fled and warned authorities of the organization’s presence.
The investigation revealed a criminal structure that includes ring leaders, property owners and facility managers, drivers and drug dealers.
Spanish tax agencies have launched a real estate investigation focused on money laundering connected to human trafficking rings. Each facility and computer raid was discovered with financial documents, notebooks containing detailed accounts.
