National Police agents have dismantled a criminal group based in Badajoz that allegedly trafficked women for sexual exploitation. Two victims have been freed, and three people were arrested, with two entering provisional detention. In addition to the two liberated victims, investigators located another seven women who could be potential victims of the organization.
Suspects face charges including human trafficking for sexual exploitation, forced prostitution, membership in a criminal organization, and unlawful possession of weapons. The victims, mainly Colombian nationals, were sexually exploited in a nightclub and a dating house in Badajoz. During four searches of residences, authorities seized, among other items, two firearms and a large quantity of ammunition.
The investigation began after a complaint from two women who reported being victims of a criminal organization involved in human trafficking for sexual exploitation. After extensive inquiries, investigators identified a Spanish-South American criminal network engaged in exploiting women in vulnerable situations in a club and a dating flat in the city of Badajoz.
The authorities established that the criminal network recruited victims in their home country and transported them to Spain to work in prostitution. Once here, they were informed of a debt they needed to repay entirely from the proceeds of sexual services. The women did not receive any share of the earnings until the debt was fully paid. They were subjected to constant coercion, threats, and verbal abuse.
Criptocurrencies
Throughout the investigation, officers also verified that the organization’s main leader diverted a large portion of profits from exploitation to the purchase of cryptocurrency mining machines, which considerably boosted earnings.
In the four home searches conducted in Badajoz, agents seized two firearms, substantial ammunition for 9mm Parabellum and .38 Special calibers, a digital wallet with more than €15,000 in cryptocurrency, four mobile phones, and extensive documentation relevant to the inquiry.
This operation falls under the National Police Plan against Trafficking in Human Beings for Sexual Exploitation. The National Police encourage citizen collaboration and reporting of such crimes through a phone line and an inbox, with assurances of anonymous and confidential handling and no billing trace. It is emphasized that no personal data will appear on phone invoices. [Citation: National Police]