Three apartments in Brussels' Alhambra district in the city centre for six months were recently sealed by Brussels City Mayor Philippe Close "because they were used as places of exploitation" for prostitution, reportedly involving Chinese nationals.
At the beginning of February, the police raided a number of addresses in the Alhambra district as part of an investigation into a Chinese human smuggling and prostitution network, including the Chinese supermarket in the Rue Saint-Pierre.
The building turned out to be serving as a kind of headquarters for the network: some 30 victims were found. Nine people were placed under arrest warrants and held in pre-trial detention by the council chamber; 17 women were taken in for questioning, but none wanted to talk.
Not much later, however, it appeared that the prostitution network was running at full speed again, with the police also finding traces of the Chinese prostitution network in the following months, Bruzz reports.
Equipped for sexual services
In the mayor's decision that was pasted on one of the buildings and shared by the Alhambra Committee, it says that on 26 March and 28 April, the police prepared administrative reports that found prostitution activities "by people of Asian origin in the building at Rue aux Fleurs 20. The whole building is used by Chinese sex workers."
According to the reports and photos, elements such as "special lighting, condoms, lubricant, etc." indicate "that the rooms are equipped for sexual services."
The decision, signed by Close on 17 May, states that the owner of the apartments wanted to evict the residents and terminate the leases, but had to go through the justice of the peace to do so. As the owner has not sufficiently demonstrated that the activities have been discontinued, the three apartments were sealed pending the verdict of the justice.
Related News
- Europol steps up investigation into Chinese human trafficking network
- Chinese prostitution probe: 27 suspects arrested, 20 victims recovered
- Exploitation of Chinese people in Belgium 'clearly on the rise'
"We are committed to prosecuting the perpetrators and closing the places of exploitation," Close said after the closure the three apartments at the 23 May City Council meeting.
The Alhambra neighbourhood committee is delighted with the sealing off, it posted on Facebook. "We hope that this will continue to happen systematically. International prostitution always goes to the places of least resistance. We want the City of Brussels to continue to make it difficult for Chinese human trafficking so that they do not just become vulnerable people can exploit for big money gain."
