Spain breaks prostitution ring

Spanish police said yesterday they have broken a crime ring believed to have flown hundreds of Russian women to Spain where they were forced into prostitution.

Around 100 people were arrested in the 11-month operation, which began after one of the women escaped from a prostitution business in the southern city of Cordoba and denounced her captors.

The women were recruited in Moscow through newspaper adverts promising well-paid jobs in Spain. They had visas and air travel paid for by Russian criminals, police said in a statement.

Once in Spain they became the "property" of people who ran prostitution businesses in cities including Almeria, Cordoba, Granada and Zaragoza, police said.

Women were forced to work as prostitutes in night clubs, massage parlours and private homes until they paid off debts for travel costs and other expenses, police said.

In some cases they incurred fines for actions like being rude to clients, leaving lights on or eating outside set meal times - thus increasing their debts.