A group that was dedicated to the sexual exploitation of women in precarious economic situations, to which they also threatened and coerced with Santería practices, has been dismantled by the National Police. During the operation, two individuals were arrested in Madrid and one in Guardamar del Segura. Four victims were successfully freed by the authorities.
The police initiated the investigation in October 2025 in response to a complaint from one of the victims, who claimed that she had been transported from her country of origin to work as a prostitute. Upon arriving in Spain, she was subjected to dehumanising treatment, deceived by a manager, and subjected to conditions of sexual exploitation.
It was discovered by the investigators that the criminal organisation was based in a foreign country and recruited its victims there. They employed trusted individuals to persuade the women to relocate to Spain in order to engage in prostitution under deplorable circumstances. The women were prohibited from leaving the Madrid residence where they were exploited, and they were subject to rigorous regulations and continuous surveillance.
The women were allegedly monitored by the police, who communicated with them through CCTV cameras in order to prevent them from falling asleep.
Infections
They were also coerced and threatened by Santería, which resulted in an environment of constant surveillance. This forced them to engage in unprotected prostitution and ingest a variety of narcotic substances, resulting in the contract of sexually transmitted diseases that required lifelong medical treatments.
A 15-year-old girl was among the women who were liberated. She was being exploited and compelled to manage appointments, notify clients of prices, payment methods, and sexual services through four mobile terminals. She was capable of receiving up to 100 calls from clients per day.
The investigation concluded in April of last year with the liberation of four victims from two residences in Madrid. Two individuals were apprehended by the police in Madrid, while a third was apprehended in Guardamar.
Conversely, the police today announced the apprehension of eight individuals in two additional operations conducted in Madrid to combat the sexual exploitation of women. Four additional victims who were coerced into prostitution were liberated from a flat during one of these operations. These women were compelled to travel to Spain after being recruited abroad with the assurance of exceptional working conditions. They accepted the offer due to the precarious situation they were facing in their home countries.
Upon their arrival in the country, the organisation informed them that they would be required to repay a €10,000 debt by working as prostitutes under stringent regulations. Client demand and a system of penalties dictated the hours they were required to work, which were seven days a week. If they arrived late or were absent from work, they were subject to a €100 fine. They were unable to decline any of the clients’ sexual requests, including the provision of services without a condom. Consequently, some women became pregnant and subsequently required abortion drugs.
Websites that are sexually explicit
Investigators were contacted by an additional victim from a different brothel in Madrid to report her circumstances. She claimed that an acquaintance had encouraged her to visit an erotic website, where a male contacted her and offered her a position as a sex worker. He requested photographs of her naked body and utilised them on an instant messaging application that he employed to manage the client listings of the women.
The perpetrators engaged in this sexual activity in three distinct residences over a 12-hour period, recuperating at night to prevent the neighbours from being informed. If any victim attempted to exit the operation, they were coerced and intimidated with the disclosure of their identity and the exposure of their activities.
The home was accessible to customers via a code that opened the entrance. Additionally, they were provided with vouchers that contained offers that could be redeemed without a time limit.
Officers conducted three searches on the residences, which were being utilised as brothels, following a comprehensive investigation. Three women, two of whom were in Spain illegally, were released after the properties were sealed off.
A total of eleven individuals were apprehended as alleged perpetrators of human trafficking, money laundering, and criminal organisations related to prostitution, while two criminal organisations and two brothels were dismantled in Madrid. Subsequently, the court ordered the immediate imprisonment of two of the members.
The National Police has established the email address trata@policia.es and the telephone line 900 105 090 to encourage citizen collaboration in reporting cases of sexual exploitation.
