Four women prostituted in a club in Orihuela are freed

The National Police, in collaboration with the Orihuela Local Police, have detained a 40-year-old male and a 44-year-old woman for sexually exploiting four women who were held against their will in a nightclub with chains on the door.

The police intervention resulted in the release of the four women, who had claimed to being abused, denied payment for their services, and compensated with narcotics. The apprehended pair were charged with prostitution-related offences, wrongful imprisonment, and bodily damage.

The operation began when Orihuela Local Police received a tip regarding a suspected deprivation of liberty at a leisure facility. Four women were reportedly locked inside the facility, and there were signs that they may have been sexually exploited.

For all of these reasons, a coordinated operation was planned that included both Citizen Security patrols from the National Police in Orihuela and municipal police. They arrived at the scene and were approached straight by the women from behind one of the doors leading to the street. They called for aid, sobbing and screaming, because they couldn’t leave the building.

The officers discovered that all of the premises’ entrances were locked, some with chains that prevented them from opening, therefore breaking a padlock was required to rescue the women.

Initial investigations revealed that the ladies lived there, engaged in prostitution, and had their movements monitored. They said that they were denied payment for their sexual services and instead received narcotics. They also claimed that they were forced to have sex even though they didn’t want to, and that they had been physically and psychologically abused.

The four victims, ages 30 to 48, were originally from Morocco (two), Colombia, and the Dominican Republic and were suffering from high levels of anxiety, therefore a medical team was dispatched to aid them on the scene.

That same night, officers identified and detained the accused culprit, a 44-year-old woman. The Judicial Police Group of the Orihuela Police Station then resumed their investigation, discovering and detaining the second suspect the next morning: a 40-year-old male, the other woman’s partner, who had a criminal record for similar offences. Both were caught in the same town within eight hours and taken to the Orihuela Police Court.

detection of trafficking

The National Police emphasises the value of public assistance in detecting and reporting cases of sexual exploitation. Human trafficking for sexual exploitation constitutes a serious violation of fundamental rights. It frequently affects persons in need, particularly those without family networks or resources, who are deceived or coerced by violence, threats, or deception.

To prevent these types of crimes, the National Police provide confidential reporting methods, such as the email address trata@policia.es and the toll-free number 900 10 50 90, which will not be noted on the bill. Information campaigns and presentations are also held in associations, shelters, and educational facilities to improve knowledge of the warning indications and how to respond to probable cases.

Public institutions encourage citizens to not turn a blind eye. Reporting saves lives and restores freedom and dignity to the most vulnerable.