Crime ring busted for forcing Hungarian women into prostitution in Belgium

Belgian and Hungarian authorities have busted a crime ring suspected of luring Hungarian women to Belgium under false pretenses and forcing them into prostitution there, the official website of the Hungarian police said on Tuesday.

Law enforcement arrested a 34-year-old Hungarian woman suspected of having recruited at least 20 financially struggling young women since 2018, promising them cleaning and other jobs in Oostende. She organised their journey and later managed the advertisement of their sexual services online, police.hu said.

Some of the women were under 18 when they were recruited, police.hu said.

Police have also arrested a man suspected of having lured the women, later forcing them into prostitution, taking their money, and threatening and assaulting some of them.

The two suspects are awaiting extradition to Belgium.

Belgian police have arrested another six people and the ring leader in Belgium, and seized 35,000 euros in cash, gold and luxury cars, the statement said. According to Europol, the action day in mid-February led to the arrests of eight suspects in Belgium and Hungary. Officers in Belgium arrested four Belgian, one French and one Hungarian, while officers in Hungary arrested one Belgian and one Hungarian national. During the raids, authorities seized 16 high-end vehicles, luxury goods including jewellery and luxury watches, digital equipment, and mobile phones, as well as EUR 40 000 in cash. The raid in Belgium led to the identification of three potential victims. Similarly, during the operational activities in Hungary, officers identified and brought several other potential victims of this network to safety.

Europol facilitated the exchange of information and provided support during the course of this investigation. Europol also provided operational analysis, operational intelligence and coordinated the operational activities.

During the action day, Europol deployed two of its experts to Belgium and one to Hungary to provide analytical and technical support to the national authorities.

The case was opened by Eurojust in February 2023 at the request of the Belgian authorities. A Joint Investigation Team was set up between the Belgian and Hungarian authorities with the support of Eurojust in May 2023. One coordination meeting was hosted by the Agency to facilitate judicial cooperation.

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