An undercover police operation led to the discovery of a sex trafficking and prostitution ring in Israel, Israel Police revealed on Wednesday. Officers arrested 10 men allegedly involved in the crime.
The Central Tel Aviv Unit spent a full year conducting the undercover operation, focusing on a handful of suspects who operated a structured sex trafficking system which brought women to Israel from Eastern Europe to work as prostitutes. The system also money laundered the money earned from the illegal operation.
Police, during the investigation, found plenty of evidence showing that the operation was active and systemic, with leaders and varying areas of responsibility, including the "recruitment" of dozens of women from abroad through online escort services. They ran a phone line to "order" sex services, operated a system of drivers that would transfer the prostitutes "to the customers' homes" and operated a number of supervisors of the prostitute's work.
The Tax and Social Security Authority was involved in the investigation, as well, as the money laundering was running through bank accounts registered as legitimate businesses. The Tel Aviv District Attorney's Office was involved, as well.