Eight people charged after raids on massage parlors

PolicePolice. Photo: Norway Today Media

Bergen Police have charged seven women, and one man, for pimping of prostitutes after a raid on massage parlors. All those charged were of Thai origin.

‘Over a period of time, we obtained information that indicated widespread prostitution was driven from several massage parlours’, said operations manager, Knut Dahl-Michelsen, of the West Police District, in a statement.

Police Attorney, Asbjørn Onarheim, said to news agency NTB that all eight have been charged in the case.

‘There is talk of seven women and one man. In such cases it is usually women who are the traffickers’, he said.

The police raided 16 different addresses in Bergen on Tuesday afternoon and evening, reported TV2 news.

‘We have seen a resurgence of massage studios in Bergen, with the sale of sexual services at multiple locations. We are also talking about tax evasion, and breach of the Working Environment Act. Therefore, we have chosen to take action today’, said Linda Ervik, coordinator of the EXIT group in the Western Police District.

Arrested

Two of the eight accused were arrested, said police attorney, Asbjørn Onarheim, to the newspaper BergensAvisen.

‘Details now indicate that they are facilitators of prostitution, and ‘pimping’, either by obtaining property, registering businesses, advertising, acquiring customers or accepting payment’, said Onarheim.

The lawyer said that it is highly likely that there will be repercussions for the sex customers as well.

‘That’s very possible, it is something we will look into now’, he told the news agency, NTB.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today