German police crack down on suspected Thai prostitution ring

[webfact]

German police crack down on suspected Thai prostitution ring

 

German police, which also involved Germany's GSG9 special operations police unit, leave a building as they raid sites across the country, in a crackdown on human trafficking and forced prostitution in Maintal, south of Frankfurt, Germany, April 18, 2018. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

 

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German authorities searched 62 brothels, offices and homes in several federal states and arrested seven people on Wednesday in a crackdown on suspected human trafficking in connection with a Thai prostitution ring, prosecutors said.

 

Police said on Twitter that the raids, which involved more than 1,500 officers, prosecutors and tax officials, represented the biggest mass search in the history of the federal force.

 

The investigation has turned up 56 people, aged 26 to 66, who are suspected of crimes related to human trafficking, forced prostitution, pimping, withholding of wages and tax evasion, the Frankfurt general prosecutor's office said in a statement.

 

Prosecutors suspect that a number of people, led by a 59-year-old Thai woman and her 62-year-old German partner, brought women and transsexuals from Thailand to Germany on tourist visas and forced them into prostitution, it said.

 

The woman is suspected of keeping money that the prostitutes earned, supposedly to cover the cost of bringing them to Germany as well as for room and board at several brothels in the western town of Siegen, and of eventually passing them on to brothels elsewhere.

 

"The investigation has so far identified a total of 32 women and transsexuals who were smuggled into Germany by the suspects and who allegedly worked in the brothels as prostitutes," the prosecutor's office said.

 

(Reporting by Maria Sheahan; Editing by Nick Macfie and David Stamp)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-04-18

[impulse]

Prostitution, ho-hum.

 

Human trafficking for that purpose, by force or by trickery...  Get the rope.

 

[KhunBENQ]

Heard it in the German news this morning and was surprised that this still exists in the times of open borders to countries like Romania, Bulgaria...

It was big business before the wall came down. Very easy to get to west Berlin via east Berlin airport.

But nowadays? And how did they manage to get the tourist visas?

German embassy is quite restrictive.

Using another EU country? Some money under the table?

 

And, oh yes they were all forced

[Bluespunk]

25 minutes ago, webfact said:

Prosecutors suspect that a number of people, led by a 59-year-old Thai woman and her 62-year-old German partner, brought women and transsexuals from Thailand to Germany on tourist visas and forced them into prostitution, it said.

Hope the gaol these human trafficking scum for a long time, if found guilty.

Edited April 18, 2018 by Bluespunk

[Thian]

Thai prostitutes working illegally in Europe?? Nahhh, a Thai would never do such thing....

 

 more than 1,500 officers, prosecutors and tax officials, represented the biggest mass search in the history of the federal force.

 

WOW, and they already had a huge raid on brothels some years ago...

 

[KhunBENQ]

51 minutes ago, Thian said:

more than 1,500 officers, prosecutors and tax officials, represented the biggest mass search in the history of the federal force.

If only they would invest that much effort to crackdown on other criminal structures too.

 

Edited April 18, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[JAG]

I wonder why the coppers are wearing balaclavas - is it in case any of the girls recognise them?

[Megasin1]

I'm afraid I can't joke about this one as people who take advantage of others are just pure scum. Whether these people cam with the intent of prostitution or not is an invalid argument, it states quite clearly that the pair of them didn't pay them anyway. Glad to see they have the tax office involved, you know then that they are taking it seriously and they won't be left with a bean at the end of the auditing process.

[InfinityandBeyond]

4 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Hope the gaol these human trafficking scum for a long time, if found guilty.

As well as seize their ill-gotten gains. 

[mercman24]

my recollection of germany 40 years ago, my host saying we are going to the cinema, and there on the big screen was a porno film , i kid you not, BEILAFELD ?  (spelin) lol

[The manic]

5 hours ago, impulse said:

Prostitution, ho-hum.

 

Human trafficking for that purpose, by force or by trickery...  Get the rope.

 

It's mainly rubbish. The Thai sex workers are not forced into sex work.  The main threats to Germany and Europe come from other nationalities not Thais and not sex workers.

[InfinityandBeyond]

41 minutes ago, JAG said:

I wonder why the coppers are wearing balaclavas - is it in case any of the girls recognise them?

These aren't traffic or beat cops. I suspect that this line of work requires one to be undercover at some point or another in order to infiltrate organized crime syndicates. Likely best that future perps don't know you are a cop? 

[The manic]

1 minute ago, mercman24 said:

my recollection of germany 40 years ago, my host saying we are going to the cinema, and there on the big screen was a porno film , i kid you not, BEILAFELD ?  (spelin) lol

me too - The BDSM film, the story of O about 1966

[Mickmouse1]

Did the Thai woman bring them in on "Tourist Visas" or Smuggled them in?

I am 100% certain the so called victims knew very well where they are heading to.The only thing is maybe they didn't get what they were promised in term of €€€€?

[petermik]

Thai women are not trafficked into other countries for prostitution....they go as housemaids or kitchen assistants

[boomerangutang]

It's sorely lamentable that the workers were cruelly taken advantage of.

Germans should legalize prostitution - and therefore monitor all aspects of the biz.

 

Instead, it's like the US's failed 'Drug War.'

 

By militarily suppressing things which many men willingly pay money for (sex or drugs), Germans are forcing it underground - and therefore many problems ensue.

 

If, on the other hand, German authorities accept the fact that many men are eager/glad to pay for sex, .....then Germans should legalize and thereby monitor it - in terms of health checks, fair wages, taxes, biz licences, etc.

 

 

[Golden Triangle]

14 hours ago, mercman24 said:

my recollection of germany 40 years ago, my host saying we are going to the cinema, and there on the big screen was a porno film , i kid you not, BEILAFELD ?  (spelin) lol

Same here mercman, was there in the early 70's, Minden, Munster, Dortmund, Beilefeld, Hannover porn & prostitution everywhere  

[overherebc]

14 hours ago, mercman24 said:

my recollection of germany 40 years ago, my host saying we are going to the cinema, and there on the big screen was a porno film , i kid you not, BEILAFELD ?  (spelin) lol

For a long time after the war censorship of any kind was outlawed. I suppose the idea was really meant for the press at the time so everything and anything could be printed about 2nd world war crimes. Just so happened that it meant porn' was covered as well.

Edited April 19, 2018 by overherebc

[RobFord]

14 hours ago, The manic said:

me too - The BDSM film, the story of O about 1966

 

555. I saw Deep Throat and Through the Green Door in Washington State.

[Lupatria]

15 hours ago, JAG said:

I wonder why the coppers are wearing balaclavas - is it in case any of the girls recognise them?

These guys are not ordinary coppers they are members of the GSG9 (a special task force like SWAT Teams) the balaclavas are mandatory while on duty. They were employed because the regular cops got a tip off some of those pimps are armed.

[sawadee1947]

1 hour ago, boomerangutang said:

It's sorely lamentable that the workers were cruelly taken advantage of.

Germans should legalize prostitution - and therefore monitor all aspects of the biz.

 

Instead, it's like the US's failed 'Drug War.'

 

By militarily suppressing things which many men willingly pay money for (sex or drugs), Germans are forcing it underground - and therefore many problems ensue.

 

If, on the other hand, German authorities accept the fact that many men are eager/glad to pay for sex, .....then Germans should legalize and thereby monitor it - in terms of health checks, fair wages, taxes, biz licences, etc.

 

 

I think you don't know the Swedish laws. You are fined if you go TO a prostitute.

[hanuman2543]

15 hours ago, The manic said:

me too - The BDSM film, the story of O about 1966

Get your facts right.The movie is from 1975 and is a soft erotic movie about a sado/maso relationship. But don't let facts ruin a little bit German bashing .

Edited April 19, 2018 by hanuman2543

[hanuman2543]

2 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

It's sorely lamentable that the workers were cruelly taken advantage of.

Germans should legalize prostitution - and therefore monitor all aspects of the biz.

 

Instead, it's like the US's failed 'Drug War.'

 

By militarily suppressing things which many men willingly pay money for (sex or drugs), Germans are forcing it underground - and therefore many problems ensue.

 

If, on the other hand, German authorities accept the fact that many men are eager/glad to pay for sex, .....then Germans should legalize and thereby monitor it - in terms of health checks, fair wages, taxes, biz licences, etc.

 

 

You have no clue. Germany has one of the most liberal laws about prostitution in the world.  Prostitution is legal and regarded as a normal "job" and you have to pay tax on your earnings. Btw prostitution was never illegal in Germany.

Edited April 19, 2018 by hanuman2543

[Lucky mike]

Most go with eyes wide open but get fleeced from many of the bottom dwellers !

[jonstarjon]

In just Germany?? 62,000 Thai prostitutes have been identified, yes formerly identified in the EU. Other studies have suggested that of prostitue immigrants only 3% are ever caught. So go do the numbers!

[mentalcolonization]

Germany needs to apologize to Thailand. The German husband was the one who did this. Thailand has no prostitute. Oops, Germany rules the world. 

[snowgard]

18 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

It's sorely lamentable that the workers were cruelly taken advantage of.

Germans should legalize prostitution - and therefore monitor all aspects of the biz.

 

Instead, it's like the US's failed 'Drug War.'

 

By militarily suppressing things which many men willingly pay money for (sex or drugs), Germans are forcing it underground - and therefore many problems ensue.

 

If, on the other hand, German authorities accept the fact that many men are eager/glad to pay for sex, .....then Germans should legalize and thereby monitor it - in terms of health checks, fair wages, taxes, biz licences, etc.

 

 

 

Prostitution is legal in Germany, so long as the <deleted> pay tax!!!!
 

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed. 

[Baerboxer]

On 4/18/2018 at 8:56 PM, The manic said:

It's mainly rubbish. The Thai sex workers are not forced into sex work.  The main threats to Germany and Europe come from other nationalities not Thais and not sex workers.

 

And you know all of this to be true, of course. 

[Baerboxer]

On 4/19/2018 at 11:54 AM, Lupatria said:

These guys are not ordinary coppers they are members of the GSG9 (a special task force like SWAT Teams) the balaclavas are mandatory while on duty. They were employed because the regular cops got a tip off some of those pimps are armed.

 

I think JAG was jesting, being satirical in parodying the "lists' of customers often found when brothels here get raided.

 

The officers in the picture look like regular police dressed for an armed operation/raid. Wearing of balaclavas is common in such cases. Note the badge on one officers arm. Can't see it fully but looks like a state police insignia.

 

GSG9 are not like SWAT, despite how Reuters describe them. They were formed from the border guards, hence the name GrenzenSchutzGruppen 9. They conducted the raid on Mogadishu, with help from the British SAS, and have been involved in other counter terrorist operations. Using them on a raid like this suggests the intelligence indicated some serious organized crime and criminal heavyweights might be involved. Seems more to Mr. German and his Thai wife just bringing a few girls over and forcing them into prostitution maybe?

Edited April 20, 2018 by Baerboxer