Dismantled an international criminal organization based in Spain, France and Portugal dedicated to the sexual exploitation of South American women

Agents of the National Police, in an operation coordinated by EUROPOL in which the French National Police and the Portuguese Judicial Police have participated, have allowed the dismantling of an international criminal organization based in Spain, France and Portugal allegedly dedicated to the sexual exploitation of South American women in French territory.

The investigation, initiated by French judicial authorities, has revealed the existence of a criminal network directed and managed from Spain that sexually exploited women, mostly of Brazilian nationality, in hotels in various French towns. The police operation has ended with the release of eight victims in France and the arrest and imprisonment of nine people -four in Spain, three in Portugal and two in France-. A total of 12 house searches have been carried out, three of them in Spain, and 20,000 euros in cash, two high-end vehicles and numerous mobile phones, computers and computer equipment have been seized.

In the month of January of this year, based on a European Investigation Order that originated from the inquiries opened by French judicial authorities, collaboration began between the Spanish National Police, the French National Police and the Portuguese Judicial Police to investigate to a criminal organization dedicated to the sexual exploitation of women of South American origin in different French towns.

The investigations carried out revealed that the criminal network investigated prostituted a significant number of women in French territory and that it was directed by several people settled in Spain. The organization published advertisements on web pages where sexual services were offered and were in charge of managing the accommodation of women in the Gallic country, even hiring the transport with which they were transferred to the hotels where they had to prostitute themselves. In addition, the organization had located telephone switchboards in Spain and Portugal that answered calls made by customers from France.

Benefits of 150,000 euros

The victims, mainly of Brazilian nationality, were obliged to give the organization 50% of their income with which the criminal network obtained monthly benefits close to 150,000 euros, money that was sent to Spain through bank transfers or shipping companies. of money, which was then redirected to Brazil and Belgium.

As a result of the investigations carried out in Spain, four arrests have been made -two in Marbella and two in Estepona- where three house searches have also been carried out. Two of them have been carried out in the Malaga town of Estepona and have had the presence of the French judge in charge of the investigation in that country, several French agents and EUROPOL. In turn, Spanish agents have traveled to Portugal to collaborate with the Portuguese authorities in the arrests and searches carried out there.