Hong Kong police arrest 20 over prostitution syndicate that trapped women in debt

Hong Kong police have arrested 20 people in connection with a cross-border prostitution syndicate that allegedly recruited women from Southeast Asia and required them to provide unpaid sexual services to repay travel debts.

Police said on Tuesday that the syndicate paid for the women’s travel and accommodation but required them to provide sexual services 30 to 45 times without payment before they could earn money from prostitution. The women then had to hand over half their earnings.

“This method left the women completely under the group’s control when they first arrived in Hong Kong, while allowing the syndicate to make huge profits,” Senior Inspector Lam Wa-yan of the special duties squad said.