Prostitution ring dismantled in Palma: Women forced to work 24 hours a day and have sex without condoms

PalmThe National Police have freed 15 women of Chinese origin in Palma, victims of sexual exploitation who were recruited through social media advertisements by a criminal organization from that Asian country. As part of the operation, 14 people have been arrested—12 in the Balearic Islands and two in Barcelona—seven of whom have been remanded in custody by court order. According to a statement released by the Police this Saturday, those arrested include 13 Chinese nationals and one Spanish citizen. The investigation has dismantled a network that forced the victims to be available 24 hours a day, under constant surveillance, and to provide sexual services both in apartments and at clients' homes. The women had no freedom of movement and, according to the investigation, were even "bought and sold" between different exploitative organizations to be moved from one location to another. In some cases, they were forced to have sex without condoms, so the network charged clients a higher price.

As part of the operation, the police carried out ten raids and searches on properties in the Balearic capital and closed three clandestine brothels.

Recruited with false job offers

The investigation into what became known as Operation Easter began in April 2025, after two anonymous emails were received at trata@policia.es. In these messages, several Chinese women pleaded for help and reported that they were being exploited and sexually assaulted in apartments in Palma. Another key witness was a woman who managed to escape from one of the premises where she was being held. The victims were recruited through social media advertisements with false job offers as massage therapists, cooks, or caregivers, with salaries of around €2,000 per month. Some were already on the Spanish mainland, while others traveled from China to Madrid, with layovers in Dubai and Serbia. The organization covered the travel expenses, creating a debt that the women had to repay through prostitution. Once in Palma, they were taken to the apartments, with no option to refuse clients or leave the properties.

All earnings had to be handed over in full to the network, which only returned a portion to the victims after deducting accommodation and living expenses.

Million-dollar profits and fraudulent marriages

The investigation confirmed that the criminal group increased its profits by selling narcotics and sexual enhancement products to clients. In one of the brothels investigated, revenue reached €1.2 million in a single year. Furthermore, the network offered victims the possibility of regularizing their immigration status in Spain through fraudulent marriages, in exchange for large sums of money. Once their status was regularized, their identities were used to open bank accounts, contract utilities, or register telephone lines, with the aim of concealing the true leaders of the organization. During the raids, officers seized five high-end vehicles, €190,000 in cash, bladed and prohibited weapons—such as tasers and katanas—as well as jewelry, watches, mobile phones, payment terminals, and a large amount of related documentation.