Policía Nacional, Spain's national police force, said on Monday it had dismantled an alleged criminal organisation that sexually exploited women through coercion and imposed debts in the provinces of Barcelona and Tarragona.

Four people were arrested, three in Castelldefels and one in Reus. Police said they identified one victim of human trafficking for sexual exploitation and freed five women considered victims of coercive prostitution.

For residents of Castelldefels and Reus, the operation centred on alleged exploitation occurring in their municipalities and resulted in police searches that recovered cash, documents linked to the activity under investigation, mobile phones and computers.

False job offer and €4,000 travel debt

According to Policía Nacional, the investigation began after a woman said she had been recruited in Colombia while in a financially vulnerable position.

Police said a man offered her work as a telephone operator, then proposed that she travel to Spain to manage an appointment house for a monthly salary of €6,000.

  • She was initially told she would manage appointments and collect payment for services.
  • After arriving in Spain, police said, she was told instead to engage in prostitution.
  • The alleged network told her she owed €4,000 for travel costs and had to repay it through prostitution.

Police describe restrictions on the women

Police said the woman, like others in the same position, was required to be available 24 hours a day and could not leave the property. She was allegedly forced to accept all sexual practices requested by men and hand over half of the money received for services to reduce the debt.

The investigation remains the responsibility of Policía Nacional. The force's account was published by Aldia.

During the searches in Castelldefels and Reus, officers seized cash, documentation, telephones and computers which police said contained material relevant to the investigation.

Reported by aldia.cat, europapress.es, lavanguardia.com, Joan Arcos, ground.news, L.G, Héctor Mariñosa.