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ARCHIVED - Belgian man living in Torrevieja arrested in Murcia in connection with Chinese prostitution ring
The suspect has been detained in Murcia where he awaits extradition to Belgium
In a well-coordinated international operation, the Belgian authorities have arrested 25 people accused of running a prostitution network that trafficked people people from China. Twenty Chinese victims were found in properties in Brussels, Antwerp, Charleroi, Leuven and Neufchâteau and one of the prime suspects was tracked to Spain.
The search for the alleged trafficker centred around the Alicante city of Torrevieja, where he reportedly lived, but officers from the Unit against Immigration Networks and Document Falsities (UCRIF) of the Alicante National Police eventually caught up with the criminal in Murcia on Tuesday morning, February 7.
Spanish police have searched his Torrevieja home for incriminating evidence and the gang member remains in custody until his extradition order is processed, at which time he’ll be handed over to the Belgian authorities. According to the National Police, another possible suspect was located in Barcelona but no further arrests have been made.
Of the 25 people arrested, 3 were from Belgium and the rest were Chinese.
It’s understood that the criminal organisation trawled through escort websites in China to identify their victims, who were then trafficked all over Europe and forced to work as prostitutes, handing over the lion’s share of their earnings to their captors.
The victims were often transferred from one country to another but most were made to prostitute themselves on the streets of Brussels during the coronavirus pandemic.
Image: Archive
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