Indictments were filed in the Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday against seven people accused of human trafficking and running a prostitution ring. The indictment said that between April and August , the seven brought women to Israel from Eastern Europe to work as prostitutes in eight brothels around the country. They are accused of running a network of brothels out of apartments in Jerusalem, Haifa, and Ashkelon, and of bringing women to Israel.
Prostitution is legal in Israel, but pimping, running brothels, and trafficking are prohibited. The women were met in Israel and sent to one of the brothels, the indictment stated. Two others were charged with transporting the women to and from the brothels, and one was charged over the day-to-day running of the brothels.
In total, 11 women were brought to Israel by the ring, the indictment said. The accused were arrested at the end of August, following a months-long investigation in locations around the country.
Police raided apartments in Jerusalem, Haifa, and Ashkelon that were used as brothels, and found large sums of cash, cellphones, passports, and other documents. The Times of Israel covers one of the most complicated, and contentious, parts of the world.
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