Police break up trafficking network in Almeria

ANOTHER chapter in the people-trafficking and prostitution drama was played out recently in Roquetas.
Four people were arrested for alleged sexual exploitation of women in an operation that was triggered by two young Nigerian girls who went to the police in Granada.
They related how they were recruited in Nigeria and then taken to Morocco. After crossing in a clandestine boat they were put ashore in Almeria where they were forced to work as prostitutes to pay off a debt of around €50,000 to the traffickers.
Investigators established that they and other victims were distributed amongst brothels in country properties in Roquetas del Mar. Here, the two girls explained, they were controlled by a ‘madame’ and threatened with voodoo curses if they did not cooperate.
The organisation maintained a further hold over the women by removing their children to ensure that they continued working and paying off their debt.
During the raid on the ‘cortijos’ police were able to free another victim of the organisation who was kept in horrific conditions, they said afterwards.
As well as cash, mobile phones, computers and drugs they also found the voodoo objects used to intimidate the girls.