A sex trafficking ring operating in central Israel was exposed recently, the Israel Police said on Monday. Eight suspects have been arrested in connection with the case, including a top athlete the police say headed the ring with her partner.
The covert investigation into the alleged sex trafficking ring, which according to suspicion included dozens of women, was carried out in collaboration with the Israel Tax Authority and the National Insurance Institute.
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The prime suspect in the case is a former track and field athlete who represented Israel in three world championships. Her identity has been placed under a gag order.
She and her partner are suspected of multiple counts of sex trafficking, solicitation for prostitution, money laundering, and tax evasion.
The Tax Authority said the suspects' money laundering operation amounted to millions of shekels.
The police believe the prostitution ring operated for several years. They would recruit women using ads in various websites, mostly Russian-language ones, and once the women were in Israel, they would coerce them into becoming sex workers.
The Task Force on Human Trafficking and Prostitution advocacy group issued a statement saying, "The State of Israel fails to do enough to stop sex trafficking on its soil. The new government has to make the issue a priority. The Task Force on Human Trafficking and Prostitution calls on the police and the State Attorney's Office to prosecute those responsible to the fullest extent of the law."
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