Gardaí under investigation for alleged involvement in prostitution / trafficking racket

December 31, 2009
News from Ireland

An article that appeared on the Herald newspaper website on 31 December 2009 discloses how several members of the Gardaí have been arrested and questioned for allegedly running a brothel and prostitution ring and using the services of foreign national women who may have been trafficked into Ireland.

One officer, who has already been arrested, is suspected of running a brothel in a house outside Sligo and setting a number of foreign prostitutes to work in the town centre. Two other men, both serving gardaí, are alleged to have driven prostitutes and their clients to this house.
 
Because the African women employed as prostitutes were allegedly trafficked into the State, the garda was questioned under the Human Trafficking Act. He apparently earned up to €130,000 from the racket. It is believed to have been in operation for a number of years but only came to the notice of detectives last year. It is suspected that the racket may also have been in operation in areas outside Sligo and this is being investigated.

Senior Garda authorities are extremely concerned about the allegations.

It is worth noting that Fine Gael claims that 97pc of the 1,000 women believed to be involved in indoor prostitution in the State are migrants.

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Last modified: Saturday, January 2nd, 2010