Barcelona police carried out a joint inspection at three male saunas in the Eixample district, identifying 83 men, according to Barcelona City Council. Seven people were found to be in an irregular administrative situation.
The operation took place in late April and involved the Guàrdia Urbana de Barcelona, the Policia Nacional and the Guàrdia Civil. It was part of the Policia Nacional plan against human trafficking for sexual exploitation, with the aim of detecting possible victims and checking activity inside the premises.
The inspection followed a complaint received by the General Directorate of Police, which alleged prostitution and possible coercion at the locations. The Guàrdia Civil received the same complaint, and the three forces organised a coordinated check to verify the claims.
During the inspections, officers identified 70 men as clients and 13 as workers. Several people were interviewed as potential victims of human trafficking, but officials said all interviews were negative.
The Guàrdia Urbana also carried out administrative checks and issued 12 reports for infractions, including five serious and seven minor breaches linked to the establishments' activity and conditions. The units involved included the Policia Nacional's Unit against Immigration Networks and Document Forgeries (UCRIF), the Guàrdia Civil's Organic Judicial Police Unit (UOPJ) in Barcelona, and the Guàrdia Urbana's Investigation Unit (IU) and Human Trafficking and Exploitation Group (GTEP).
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