According to Spain's Interior Ministry, police have arrested 17 people on suspicion of smuggling Nigerian women into Spain. Once in the country, the women were forced into prostitution with claims that Voodoo spells would be cast should they not comply.
In January,
police detected that around 10 women had been brought into Spain
illegally on a small boat and forced into prostitution in the streets of
Barcelona. Most of these women were pregnant or the mothers of very
young children.
In further investigations,
it was found that a dozen women in an illegal immigrant rescue center
in Utrera, Seville were "behaving strangely." They were reportedly
maintaining "frequent contacts with several people outside the center,"
which alerted the police forces.
Members of the National Police and
Guardia Urbana (Urban Guard) later found that this contact was with
members of the criminal organization.
Following the
investigation, police raids seized mobile phones, computer equipment
and falsified work permit and identity documents. The detectives
further discovered objects that they say were allegedly for use in
"Voodoo" rituals. Police said that some members of the group forced the
victims to commit robberies and thefts. The stolen objects were then
sent to Nigeria.
According to a statement released on Sunday, after months of
investigation, police officers have tracked down the suspected pimps,
arresting 16 Nigerian nationals and one Ugandan, in Barcelona, Badalona,
Santa Coloma de Gramenet and other towns throughout Spain.
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/340178
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