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| Three Polish women admit to running Belfast brothel | Three Polish women admit to running Belfast brothel |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Three Polish women have admitted in a Belfast court to running brothels and providing property for criminal purposes. | Three Polish women have admitted in a Belfast court to running brothels and providing property for criminal purposes. |
| The trio appeared following the biggest ever cross-border operation against organised prostitution in Ireland. | The trio appeared following the biggest ever cross-border operation against organised prostitution in Ireland. |
| But a group representing some women working in the sex industry in Ireland warned that the Garda Síochána-Police Service of Northern Ireland operation failed to distinguish between women trafficked into prostitution and voluntary sex workers. | But a group representing some women working in the sex industry in Ireland warned that the Garda Síochána-Police Service of Northern Ireland operation failed to distinguish between women trafficked into prostitution and voluntary sex workers. |
| On Wednesday Milena Halina Tarnowska, 23, Sandra Polewska, 24, and Marta Kozakowska, 27, appeared at Belfast magistrates court. The three share an address in Alfred Street in the city centre. | On Wednesday Milena Halina Tarnowska, 23, Sandra Polewska, 24, and Marta Kozakowska, 27, appeared at Belfast magistrates court. The three share an address in Alfred Street in the city centre. |
| A prosecution lawyer admitted in court that there was no allegation of human trafficking and no other people were involved in running the brothel apart from the accused. | A prosecution lawyer admitted in court that there was no allegation of human trafficking and no other people were involved in running the brothel apart from the accused. |
| All three women pleaded guilty to the charges. | All three women pleaded guilty to the charges. |
| Kozakowska admitted a third offence of obstructing police by swallowing a mobile phone sim card when officers entered their flat. | Kozakowska admitted a third offence of obstructing police by swallowing a mobile phone sim card when officers entered their flat. |
| The district judge imposed a two-month prison sentence on each defendant but suspended it for 18 months. | The district judge imposed a two-month prison sentence on each defendant but suspended it for 18 months. |
| Defence lawyers said all three women were planning to leave Northern Ireland. | Defence lawyers said all three women were planning to leave Northern Ireland. |
| "It would be accepted by the prosecution that this was a very simple, unsophisticated setup involving these three ladies," one of the lawyers told the court. | "It would be accepted by the prosecution that this was a very simple, unsophisticated setup involving these three ladies," one of the lawyers told the court. |
| "Nobody else received any money from the girls as a result of their activities. There is no suggestion that anybody is in charge." | "Nobody else received any money from the girls as a result of their activities. There is no suggestion that anybody is in charge." |
| The two other women were arrested in Northern Ireland during the searches as part of Operation Quest. They have been released on bail pending further inquiries. | The two other women were arrested in Northern Ireland during the searches as part of Operation Quest. They have been released on bail pending further inquiries. |
| On Tuesday 170 officers from the PSNI and 200 from the Gardaí were involved in raids on 114 properties in Northern Ireland and the Republic. The PSNI said they had identified at least 10 properties that were being used as brothels. | On Tuesday 170 officers from the PSNI and 200 from the Gardaí were involved in raids on 114 properties in Northern Ireland and the Republic. The PSNI said they had identified at least 10 properties that were being used as brothels. |
| A large amount of documents, cash, mobile phones and computers were seized in the raids. | A large amount of documents, cash, mobile phones and computers were seized in the raids. |
| But the Sex Workers Alliance of Ireland group on Wednesday questioned the efficacy of the police operation, saying: "SWAI acknowledges the need to investigate trafficking and other forms of exploitation but are concerned with the indiscriminate nature of the raids. It appears that there was no attempt to distinguish between voluntary/independent workers and those controlled by others, and that the Gardaí and PSNI simply raided all known premises." | But the Sex Workers Alliance of Ireland group on Wednesday questioned the efficacy of the police operation, saying: "SWAI acknowledges the need to investigate trafficking and other forms of exploitation but are concerned with the indiscriminate nature of the raids. It appears that there was no attempt to distinguish between voluntary/independent workers and those controlled by others, and that the Gardaí and PSNI simply raided all known premises." |
| The group also warned that such a major drive against the sex trade could push more women into more dangerous situations. | |
| "This may lead sex workers to take greater risks with their safety in order to avoid detection – particularly migrants who are working here without permission. International evidence shows that indiscriminate raids of this sort involve a high cost to sex workers with very little return in terms of either arrests of traffickers or rescues of those genuinely in need," it said. | "This may lead sex workers to take greater risks with their safety in order to avoid detection – particularly migrants who are working here without permission. International evidence shows that indiscriminate raids of this sort involve a high cost to sex workers with very little return in terms of either arrests of traffickers or rescues of those genuinely in need," it said. |
| Despite these criticisms a senior PSNI commander stressed that Operation Quest would continue. | Despite these criticisms a senior PSNI commander stressed that Operation Quest would continue. |
| Detective Superintendent Philip Marshall said: "The operation is continuing and there is the potential for more searches and more arrests in the days ahead. | Detective Superintendent Philip Marshall said: "The operation is continuing and there is the potential for more searches and more arrests in the days ahead. |
| "This operation is focused on gathering information and intelligence and evidence on the extent of the problem of organised prostitution in Ireland. | "This operation is focused on gathering information and intelligence and evidence on the extent of the problem of organised prostitution in Ireland. |
| "We then have an assessment and then we will target in the future what we suspect is a number of crime gangs who were involved in this particular crime type." | "We then have an assessment and then we will target in the future what we suspect is a number of crime gangs who were involved in this particular crime type." |