Raids free seven from sex slavery in brothels

Published on Saturday 5 July 2008 11:19

RAIDS on flats in the Capital saw police rescue seven women who had been trafficked into the country to work as sex slaves.

The women, aged 20-35, were found working in four private flats acting as brothels during the operation.

Two women, one from Eastern Europe and the other from South-East Asia, were trafficked into Scotland to sell sex against their will. But another five women who police suspected were victims of human trafficking disappeared after being placed in safe houses. Each was from south-east Asia.

Police chiefs fear the women may have returned to their captors out of fear, and may still be in the sex trade elsewhere.

They also warned that the discoveries may only be the "tip of the iceberg" in Edinburgh and appealed for public help in finding more victims.

Along with the four flats, Operation Pentameter Two saw 13 saunas in the Capital visited by officers who found no trafficked women working there.

But the raids, which were launched after police gathered intelligence on the locations, failed to capture the traffickers.

Some of the women had been smuggled into the UK hidden inside vehicles passing through Channel ports. Police said the victims had often been compelled to work as prostitutes after building up debts to the traffickers.

Detective Sergeant Sandra Jamieson, from the force's crime policy unit, ran the operation in the city.

She said: "We found two women who we proved were definitely trafficked while there were five others we suspected.

"Unfortunately, these five women disappeared while in safe accommodation. We don't know what happened to them, but it's possible they're back with the traffickers.

"All of these women were very frightened of the people who had brought them here.

"We believe it's likely they had been forced to work as prostitutes elsewhere in Scotland before they came to Edinburgh.

"Some of the women told us they had been smuggled into the country while others were promised good jobs."

Ds Jamieson said she could not reveal the locations of the city flats as inquiries were ongoing.

Organised criminal gangs operate the networks of trafficked women, which often sees immigrant victims being tricked then sold into sex slavery.

Ds Jamieson said the force were still trying to determine the scale of the problem in Edinburgh.

She added: "This could be only the tip of the iceberg. That's why we need people to help if they suspect trafficked women are working in flats or saunas."

In September last year, three Asian women, aged 33, 36 and 38, were rescued after raids on two flats by police and immigration officers.

And last May, a raid on a brothel being run in Leith found two illegal immigrants were found working as prostitutes.

Throughout Scotland, police freed 59 human trafficking victims as part of the crackdown.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "There are clear links between human trafficking, and other forms of organised crime. This operation shows how, through improved intelligence and close partnership working, that we can deliver trafficking victims from misery."