Belgian police seize $1.6 million in sex trafficking probe

Associated Press
·2 min read

BRUSSELS (AP) — About 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million) in cash were seized during raids in Belgium targeting an alleged criminal organization suspected of sending Chinese women to Europe and forcing them into prostitution, the federal prosecutor’s office said Wednesday.

In addition, investigators took hold of four tons of coins with an unspecified value, prosecutors said. Belgian police took control of several buildings during the raids in Antwerp, Charleroi, Louvain, Neufchâteau and Brussels, prosecutors said.

After a two-year investigation, some 300 police officers took part in Tuesday’s raids targeting human traffickers. The prosecutor's office described the operation as one Belgium's biggest targeting human traffickers in recent years.

A total of 27 people were detained, including nine who appeared before a judge and charged with human trafficking and money laundering. Three suspects had Belgian nationality, and the rest were of Chinese origin.

Police raided more than two dozen locations across Belgium, discovering 20 alleged victims, all of them from China. Searches also took place in Spain and Switzerland, where two people were detained, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Prosecutors said Chinese sex workers are increasingly present in Belgium, particularly in the capital, Brussels. They said the criminal organization targeted in the raids allegedly recruited women in China and transferred them to Europe, where they were “sexually exploited” and forced to surrender most of their earnings.

The alleged prostitution ring used online rental platforms, hotels or vacation homes and websites specializing in sex advertisements for appointment bookings, prosecutors said, adding that the victims were often moved from one place to another across the continent.

Some of the victims were sheltered at a specialized reception center, prosecutors said.

The European Union’s judicial cooperation agency, Eurojust, and the bloc’s crime agency, Europol, took part in the investigation.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • UK rules out EU-wide deal on work and study visas for young people

    The government has ruled out striking an EU-wide agreement on allowing an exchange of young people to work and study for extended periods of time. On Thursday, the European Commission announced its plans to begin negotiating with members of the bloc on a joined-up approach that could be taken with the UK. The proposals related to a Youth Mobility Scheme, a deal between nations allowing 18 to 30-year-olds the opportunity to work or study for up to four years in each other's territories.

  • Snow Showers Denver Metro Area

    Snow showers swept into the Denver-Boulder area on Friday, April 19, with heavier snow expected as the day continued, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.Footage taken by Peter Ohser shows light snow falling on Evergreen, southwest of Denver, on Friday.A winter weather advisory was in effect until Saturday morning, with the NWS warning of total snow accumulations up to 10 inches. Credit: Peter Ohser via Storyful

  • Commanders hosted 4 top QB prospects at once, and Jayden Daniels' agent wasn't happy

    The Commanders had an unusual visit with multiple QB prospects.

  • Best Growth Stocks To Buy And Watch: See Updates To IBD Watchlists

    Find the best stocks to buy and watch by seeing which top growth stocks were just added to the IBD 50, IPO Leaders and other IBD stock lists.

  • “Our mission is to help as many people as we can"

    With the channel blocked and ships not getting through, workers used to 80-hour paychecks are now getting just a few hours. "We're daily hires, a lot of us, so it's like hitting a brick wall, the checks just stop, you're not a salaried employee they didn't know what to do," said Scott Cowan, the president of the international longshoremen's association, local 333. In the waning hours of the legislative session, the Port Act passed. READ MORE: https://www.wmar2news.com/keybridgecollapse/payments-to-port-workers-on-the-way-as-collapse-limits-hours

  • Paramedics get high-tech helpers

    FORT FRANCES – “Cutting-edge technologies” are giving a boost to emergency care services in the Rainy River region. Joshua Colling, chief of Rainy River District Paramedic Services, said Friday the LUCAS 3 Chest Compression System and the MegaMover Plus will enhance emergency medical care and improve patient outcomes. Six LUCAS 3 units have been acquired at a cost of about $14,000 each paid out of provincial and local funding, Colling told Newswatch. The paramedic service describes LUCAS 3 as “a

  • Equitably redeveloping Indiana Avenue

    WRTV's Meredith Hackler explains why leaders in Indianapolis are having conversations with community stakeholders before redevloping Indiana Avenue.

  • Remembering Steven Curnow | Columbine 25 years

    In honor of the victims of Columbine on the occasion of 25 years since the tragedy, these are the inscriptions on each plaque provided by the Columbine Memorial Foundation. This is Steven Curnow’s tribute.

  • Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signs bill allowing teachers, staff to carry guns on school property

    Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signs bill allowing teachers, staff to carry guns on school property

  • Final jurors seated for Trump's hush money case, with opening statements set for Monday

    NEW YORK (AP) — The final jurors were seated Friday in Donald Trump’s hush money trial, and an appellate judge rejected the former president’s latest bid to halt the case as a hectic day in court set the stage for opening statements to begin Monday. The panel of New Yorkers who will decide the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president took final shape after lawyers spent days quizzing dozens of potential jurors on whether they can impartially judge Trump in the city where he built his real

  • Coban Porter sentenced to 6 years in prison for deadly DUI crash, same week his brother Jontay banned from NBA

    One Porter brother is banned for life from the NBA. Another is headed to prison.

  • Breaking update: 2 juveniles, 3 adults shot in Greenbelt

    As many as five people who were part of a large gathering at a Greenbelt park were shot Friday afternoon, police said. Greenbelt police said at least 500 young adults were gathered in the Bowie area on "senior skip day" and were told to disperse. Much of the group moved to a park in the 6900 block of Hanover Parkway in Greenbelt. Police said officers were monitoring, but no illegal activity was going on before officers heard gunshots. Five people were shot, including two juveniles and three adults. Police said the adults may have been 18-year-olds.

  • Bill changes statute of limitations for Boy Scouts sexual abuse settlement

    Bill changes statute of limitations for Boy Scouts sexual abuse settlement

  • University of Nebraska Board of Regents approve several projects, including next steps for Memorial Stadium, alcohol sales and more

    The University of Nebraska Board of Regents voted and approved several projects Friday, including the next steps for Memorial Stadium, alcohol sales at Haymarket Park and a residence hall at UNMC.

  • Timeline details what led to arrest in alleged school shooting plot

    Montgomery County police released a timeline of details into the investigation of a high school student who is charged with threats of mass violence. In a joint investigation with the FBI, Montgomery County police said they discovered a manifesto written by Andrea Ye, 18, of Rockville, whose preferred name is Alex Ye. Authorities said the writing was about committing mass shootings at two Rockville schools: Wootton High School, which Ye had attended online, and Lakewood Elementary School, which Ye attended.

  • 3 charged in Freedom double homicide drove over an hour away to commit murders, court docs say

    3 charged in Freedom double homicide drove over an hour away to commit murders, court docs say

  • 'Start now': Former NFL, college stars tell Detroit students to focus on life after sports

    On Friday, Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan partnered with McDonald’s of Michigan to host a panel about life after football.

  • Search warrant gives new details in Omaha teacher accused of sexual abuse

    According to a search warrant, Erin Ward initially denied having sexual relations with the victim.

  • 'That's not right.' 10-year-old girl kidnapped walking from school, found alive

    A 10-year-old girl was walking home from Gompers Elementary school on Burt Road when police say she was taken by a man.

  • Lululemon cutting over 100 jobs in Washington distribution centre closure

    VANCOUVER — Lululemon Athletica Inc. says it is cutting more than 100 jobs as it plans to close a distribution centre in Washington state. It says some employees at the Sumner, Wash. centre will be retrained and relocated to other facilities, but that "just over" 100 positions with be eliminated because of the closure. The company says it decided to close the smaller distribution centre as part of a regular evaluation of its network. Lululemon says its overall fulfilment strategy includes a mult