Kirsty Mckenzie
A SPANISH man has been charged for alleged sex trafficking involving tourists who came to Spain in search of hospitality work.
The Granada resident was arrested alongside three Russian citizens for allegedly trafficking women from overseas under the ‘false promise’ of securing them roles in public relations and event management between May 2017 to February 2018.
Police said that the 67-year-old man targeted women who entered Spain as tourists with a 90-day visa. He allegedly told them they would be unable to find work because they were not legal residents or Spanish speakers and promised to employ them in bars in the Granada.
He allegedly trafficked his victims and forced them to work as prostitutes across three venues in Granada’s city centre.
It is further alleged that the man threatened the women and intimated them into making money for him.
Detectives said he targeted women who were ‘alone and had dependents in their countries of origin’.
He would hire them in strip clubs, forcing them to work from 10pm to 3am from Monday to Friday and from 10pm to 4am on weekends. During that time they were not permitted to leave and were only given one day off a week.
The pensioner is accused of profiting from acts of prostitution by the victims, aged 42, 41 and 38.
One of the victims was allegedly contacted in Russia via telephone by an anonymous caller who told her she could find employment serving drinks at a bar in Granada, owned by the 67-year-old man.
However when she came to Spain to work she was forced by the accused to go to private rooms in the venue to have sex with clients to earn more money.
The witness said if she refused the accused would yell at her and threaten to kick her out the venue and leave her alone without work.
The 67-year-old man was charged with sex trafficking and promoting prostitution.
If convicted, the pensioner faces up to 40 years in prison and could be forced to pay fines of €3.3million. He is scheduled to appear in court on March 29.
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