Spanish police say they have arrested
25 people in a sex-trafficking ring that brought women from Nigeria to work as
prostitutes.
The women, allegedly lured with the promise of good jobs in
Europe, were first flown to Mexico or Brazil, travelling on false identity
documents.
From there, they were flown to Paris, then smuggled into Spain
to work in the sex trade, police say.
Five women who were victims of the sex ring were freed in the
raids.
Police found one member of the gang performing an abortion on
one of the five women, reports the BBC's Madrid correspondent, Tom Burridge.
Hidden goods
Arrests were made across Spain - in Madrid, Toledo, Cantabria
and Palma de Mallorca.
More than 100 vans concealing luxury goods were also seized.
The gang used the vans to launder their profits and send them
back to Lagos, police say.
The vans, with dark-tinted windows and welded doors, were
stocked full of beer but had luxury items hidden deeper inside.
Goods worth estimated 5m euros (£4.1m; $6.6m) were found in 94
vans seized in Madrid and another 26 in the port of Valencia, including
high-end televisions and cases of alcohol.
Police say the gang was formed more than 20 years ago in
Nigerian universities and was also known for sending so-called Nigerian letters
by email, asking recipients to send money.
Eight of the 25 people arrested were in Spain illegally, they
say.
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