In Spain, law enforcement officers detained members of a criminal group who were engaged in trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation, including refugees from Ukraine. This was reported by the Europol press service.
Among the detainees is one citizen of Spain, two Russians and two Ukrainians. Law enforcement officers also managed to identify 14 victims of this crime. According to the investigation, the group that has been operating since 2020 recruited victims through the Internet, acting as recruitment agents.
Women, mostly Ukrainian women and Belarussians, lured offers in Spain. Arriving on tourist visas, the victims were offered to apply for temporary protection in connection with the war in Ukraine. After that, they were forced to engage in prostitution without proper employment agreements. Women were kept in three homes, minimizing the risks of exposition and escape, receiving significant profits from their operation.
