Posted by From IKE NNAMDI, Washington DC on
A Nigerian prostitution syndicate has been smashed by agents of the American elite Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Italian security officials. FBI sources in Washington said those arrested are members of a dreaded Lagos and Benin based gangs, who smuggle women and children to major European countries as sex workers and drug couriers.
A Nigerian prostitution syndicate has been smashed by agents of the American elite Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Italian security officials. FBI sources in Washington said those arrested are members of a dreaded Lagos and Benin based gangs, who smuggle women and children to major European countries as sex workers and drug couriers.
'Operation Viola led to 51 arrests in Italy and 15 in other parts of Europe, including The Netherlands, Britain, and the U.S," American officials said.
The gang allegedly preyed on orphans, fresh graduates and women in economic needs with promises of a better life outside Nigeria.
' Most of the children are promised jobs as house help and the women promised jobs, but most end up as sex workers and some are killed if they refuse to walk the streets," an FBI official stated.
Those arrested by Italian officials reports said will face charges relating to slavery, kidnapping and trafficking people and drugs, while those arrested in Europe and America will face racketeering changes. The crackdown was organized by anti-mafia officials in Naples, and aided by the Dutch police and several America agencies.
A chief anti-mafia prosecutor in Italy, Pietro Grasso, said the arrest had dealt a major blow to a 'dangerous" gang centered around the Nigerian city of Lagos. Police said the gang's activities had earned it hundreds of thousands of dollars.
American law enforcement sources said officials will increase raids in suspected brothels in New York, Los Angeles and other bigger cities to flush out members of the gang, most of who are in the country as illegal immigrants.