ONE OF the Chinese women arrested in connection with a suspected prostitution ring was forced to have sex with the high-ranking police officer who has been implicated as a pimp in the case, the Nicosia court heard yesterday.
The officer and two pensioners, 68 and 72, arrested on Tuesday in a police raid in old Nicosia, appeared in court yesterday for a remand hearing.
The prostitution ring is thought to date back to 2008. So far, five women have been recognised victims of sexual exploitation by the police as part of their investigations, the court heard.
“Problems can be taken care of,” a 43-year-old Chinese woman, referred to as ‘Nancy,’ allegedly told one of the women involved. Nancy was remanded for eight days on Tuesday to assist police investigations. She is suspected of helping the office to run the ring.
Police are investigating 17 different cases related to pimping twenty-five women - among them a fifteen year-old Chinese girl - and possibly 19 men (their role and nationality was not specified). Nineteen of the forty-four people rounded up on Tuesday were illegal.
The court heard that ‘Nancy’ had allegedly told the police officer: “For a passport, I’ll be yours.” In another case presented by investigators, a 42-year-old Chinese woman was told: “You’ll be a whore if you come to Cyprus.”
All cases being investigated speak of manipulation. Some of the women’s residence permits had ran out and they were pushed to prostitution so they could remain in the country, the court heard.
Others were arrested in the past by the police but were released after paying a bribe to the high-profile police suspect. Some women were illicitly allowed entry into Cyprus, again for a price, the court heard while at least one woman spoke of being forced to have sex with the officer. She was told: ‘You have to have sex with the very powerful policeman’
As they searched houses in the old town on Tuesday, police discovered hundreds of condoms, a number of sex toys, a log book with clients and payments, marriage certificates and passports. They confiscated seven computers. Under investigation, are also 15 files from the immigration department as well as bank accounts of the implicated parties.
Police had been tipped off in February when two Chinese women were arrested. One was deported. The other was a victim of rape and trafficking, police established.
Nancy came under police watch on February 25 and the police officer was seen entering the dwellings more than once since that time. Investigators told the court the case was still at an early stage. A total of 27 depositions have been taken with plans for 83 more.
Meantime, the police officer’s lawyer argued in court that there was no direct connection between the man and the described events.
The police officer was friends with Nancy’s husband, a 72-year-old pensioner, which explained his comings and goings adequately, the lawyer told the court.
The other suspect, a 68-year-old pensioner was renting out five different flats to Nancy where the women and men lived. All three men were allegedly Nancy’s lovers.
The three men were yesterday held overnight, awaiting the judge’s decision this morning on a remand order.
The officer, and Nancy’s husband are facing an eight-day remand and the owner of the flats, four days.
“We’ve been telling you the police are corrupt,” was Action for Equality, Support, Antiracism (KISA) response yesterday. KISA asked that the Migration Department be investigated. The arrest “corroborates the accusations made publicly by KISA… about the direct or indirect involvement of members of the police in illegal circles of trafficking and exploitation of migrants,” KISA said.
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