The investigation began in September 2024 following the testimony of a woman who had worked as a receptionist in various clandestine brothels in Barcelona. This witness revealed that the victims were forced into prostitution under strict control using video surveillance and audio cameras.
The criminal structure was allegedly led by a woman, her partner, and her mother. In January 2025, officers identified one of the exploited women, who explained she was lured with promises of better financial conditions, only to be subsequently forced into prostitution.
It was all a deception, and she was forced to prostitute herself under conditions that were not promised, and even to sell drugs if clients requested them.
Over time, the main suspect changed the modus operandi, abandoning the clandestine flats in Barcelona to offer services at home and in hotels. Furthermore, the network expanded its activity into Europe, opening a brothel apartment in Paris and publishing at least 70 prostitution advertisements on websites in Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, and France.
