Brothel women were working voluntarily

Jan 30 2008

NINE young Eastern European women were working voluntarily at a suspected brothel in Birmingham.

The women, aged between 19 and 28, were led from the premises in Hagley Road, Edgbaston during a raid on Monday night.

It had been feared they were "trafficked" and being forced to work as sex slaves.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "The nine women found there had not been subject to human trafficking and had come to the United Kingdom to work of their own volition.

"However, this operation sends a clear message that West Midlands Police is doing all it can to protect vulnerable people and to make it a hostile place for those involving themselves in human trafficking."

A 42-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of managing a brothel and has been bailed after questioning.

Eight of the women found in the premises are from Romania and the ninth is from Poland.

The women, who are all safe and well, are today being interviewed by police and Immigration Service Officials.

The swoop was part of a police operation code named Pentameter Two aimed at cracking down on prostitution and human trafficking.