World

Alleged human traffickers' ring exposed

by tikun | March 8, 2009 at 09:53 am

482 views | 53 Recommendations | 6 comments

Finally some encouraging action taken through international cooperation.

As the country and the world marked International Woman's Day on Sunday, police revealed an alleged international network for trafficking women.

Twelve people suspected of operating the network were arrested by Tel Aviv police. The force estimates the alleged network is one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Members of the network allegedly worked over the past few years to import hundreds of women from the Former Soviet Union into Israel and Cyprus in order to use them as prostitutes, often coaxing them with false promises and in some cases threatening them.

When the members of the network suspected one of the women was planning to file a complaint, they allegedly used severe violence to silence her and are also alleged to have run over and killed a woman who was planning to turn to the police. The women were allegedly smuggled into Israel through the border with Egypt and an airport in Turkey, and in at least one case, one of them was beaten in order to be "convinced" to go on the trip.

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René

at 10:18 on March 8th, 2009

Why is there a market for this in Israel? Who were the customers? They are just as guilty as this ring..

zeet

at 10:57 on March 8th, 2009

Fine and timely story, Tikun.

This goes on all over the World, and it's very positive when the good guys win! All to often we loose - and the women of course, is the loosing part always.

tikun

at 11:44 on March 8th, 2009

Thanks all for the comments. Unfortunately with the break up of the former Soviet Bloc trafficking women has been a real problem for Israel. With over 1 million former Russian citizens returning to Israel it was easy to bring young innocents over here under the guise of getting work. From here many were shipped off to Arab countries and god only knows what has become of them.

Lately, with in the past year or two the police crime units have been breaking up rings in Israel and putting the "mafia" kingpins in jail for long prison terms. This is the one time that I wish Israel had the death sentence.

With everything else going on here with Hamas etc, this problem had taken a backseat. But now the public is demanding action. This has resulted in not only this latest important case but the closing of many places of prostitution that caters to foreign workwrs in particular.

René

at 13:09 on March 8th, 2009

'shipped off to Arab countries'? How was that? and is this why they make their women wear those black body bags?

Barry ORegan

at 16:19 on March 8th, 2009

Thanks for the story Tikun, unfortunately it will continue as Russian Mafia traffic their own women with false promises of legitimate work to the poverty stricken, Once the women arrive in Turkey, they are immediately put up for sale to an eager Middle Eastern public and Tourists with a penchant for the young and blonde to sate clients with loot to spare. It's not called the oldest profession for nothing. Short of executing human traffickers immediately after they are caught, it will continue on every womans day for the next millenium!