Around 360 police officers search several apartments in the north. The reason: Women and trans people are said to have been sexually exploited there. The handcuffs click during the large-scale raid.
Hamburg / Hanover – During a large-scale operation in the red light district, the police in northern Germany arrested two men. You are suspected of having sexually exploited several women and trans people.
As the police and public prosecutor announced on Monday, they are said to have made rooms in normal apartments available to them. In this way, the suspects enabled them to engage in prohibited prostitution. The raid also involved allegations of smugglers.
Women and trans people mostly from Thailand
The suspected men are said to have taken advantage of the fact that the prostitutes were dependent on them. According to the information, many were staying illegally in Germany. The women and trans people, most of whom came from Thailand, had to pay around part of their income as rent for the rooms and also offer their services during the phase of the corona pandemic when this was prohibited.
About 360 officers searched 16 properties in Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein on Monday. In addition, a search warrant was carried out in Hungary. The investigators therefore secured evidence and assets in the six-digit range. Before the mission was undercover.
According to the information, the men and a suspected helper are being investigated on suspicion of the smuggling of foreigners in a gang and commercial manner, as well as human trafficking for sexual exploitation.
Main suspects are in custody
The two main suspects are in custody. According to a spokesman, there were no grounds for imprisonment against the alleged helper. All three are German citizens.
In the course of the operation, the officers met 20 prostitutes. Nine of them are said to have stayed in Germany without permission. How and when they entered Germany was initially unclear. According to the spokesman, the fact of smuggling is already fulfilled when people promote illegal residence. dpa
