Westminster Metropolitan Police have arrested 18 people after raiding six ‘massage parlours’ on London Chinatown for prostitution.
The police also seized £35,000 in cash during the nighttime raid in Chinatown and Soho.
The six massage parlours were allegedly running as brothels that were trafficking women. The parlours were raided last night.
Police reportedly rescued 10 women as part of an ongoing operation to tackle human trafficking, prostitution, firearms, immigration offenses and money laundering. The operation – called Operation Lanhydrock – was launched to crack down on organised crime and to help victims.
Westminster Police closed six premises and searched another four whilst making arrests.
Temporary Detective Superintendent Jane Corrigan said, “the operation is aimed at bringing to justice those who seek to profit from the exploitation of vulnerable people.”
“We are sending a message to the criminals in this area that London is a hostile environment for this type of activity, and that those who are involved can expect to be caught and punished.”
Past raids in Soho saw dozens of people arrested linked to rape and sex trafficking.
