Story By: Elena Kalioglo, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
These pictures show young women – some of whom appear to be crying – handcuffed and forced to lie on the floor or stand dressed in their underwear as Ukrainian cops film them to use in an anti-prostitution PR campaign.
In some cases, the women filmed are wearing only their lingerie as they are made to lie down or stand against a wall as cops seize cash, paperwork and then question everybody arrested.
The operation was carried out over the weekend in which police officers raided 22 properties, including nine suspected sex salons, all located in the Ukrainian capital city Kiev.
It resulted in the arrest of 50 suspected prostitutes, as well as eight people who they described as involved in the administration of running the brothels, and six people who were responsible for liaising with potential clients via online contact and telephone calls.
Police officers in the Kiev region then released the footage.
The press spokesman said: “The organiser of the network was a woman who went by the name of Renata.
“The network included people who received calls from clients, administrators, managers in the brothels where the women worked and even taxi drivers responsible for delivering the girls to clients who wanted a personal visit.”
He said the alleged criminal organisation in addition to the girls included around 20 people, not all yet arrested, that included dispatchers who received calls from clients from advertising numbers, administrators and managers of the brothels where prostitutes worked, and taxi drivers who transported girls to clients that want to private visits, and then stay to make sure they were safe.
Young women recruited by a man named “Timur” who managed the girls and who was also arrested.
The cost of the services of prostitutes ranged from 800 (26GBP ) to 3,000 UAH per hour (98 GBP).
Police did not reveal how much money was obtained but said it included foreign currency.
Employees of the Office for Combating Crimes Related to Trafficking in Police of the Kiev Region, together with employees of the Main Investigative Department of the NPU under the procedural leadership of the Prosecutor General’s Office, are investigating criminal proceedings under part 3 of Art. 303 (pimping or involving a person in prostitution) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The issue of reporting suspected persons of a criminal offence and choosing a preventive measure for them is being addressed.
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