German cops raid brothels ahead of World Cup
(AP)
Updated: 2006-05-12 18:20
German police in four states arrested nearly 100 people in brothel raids
during a crackdown on illegal prostitution ahead of next month's World Cup.
A so called 'sex-room' is shown at the brothel
'Artemis' in Berlin. It is located just down the street from Olympic
Stadium, which will be the site of the World Cup final.
[AP] |
Police in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria
questioned hundreds of sex workers in the statewide raids, authorities said
Thursday.
Volker Bouffier, interior minister of Hesse, said the raids Wednesday were
launched in an effort to combat concerns expressed by human rights organizations
and other groups that thousands of women, mostly from Eastern Europe, could be
smuggled into Germany and forced to work as prostitutes during the World Cup.
The monthlong event starts June 9.
"The controls and searches are an effective way to fight against such crimes,
and for this reason (we) will continue to carry out such actions," Bouffier
said.
Police in Hesse checked the documentation and registration of 603
prostitutes, making 74 arrests. Authorities in neighboring Rhineland-Palatinate
said they arrested 22 people and another 34 were issued citations, mostly for
immigration violations and failure to comply with business regulations.
Prostitution is legal in Germany and sex workers, who pay taxes and receive
social benefits, are required to register with authorities. About 400,000 people
are registered in the trade.
No information was immediately available on the results of the searches in
Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria.
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