9 people running prostitution ring arrested

Local authorities have arrested nine foreigners heavily involved in running a large-scale prostitution ring in the Maldives.

The Maldives Immigration on Sunday confirms arresting seven females and two males, all allegedly involved in running the ring. The authority added these individuals were arrested through their most recent series of raids targeting spa facilities.

Maldives Police Service, as usual, assisted the Immigration authority in these raids and inspections.

The foreigners were detained through multiple raids on various dates; with the first expatriate, a 27-year-old female detained earlier on October 7^th, with the second apprehension of two females, aged 35 and 41, and two more males, both aged 30 two days later on October 9^th. Another 33-year-old female was later arrested on October 15^th.

The most recent arrests were made last Sunday and Tuesday, which included the detention of four women, aged 21, 23 and two of them aged 36.

Immigration further confirms that post investigation, six of these foreigners – five women and one man – have been deported indefinitely without possibility of returning. The remaining three are currently awaiting their respective deportation as well.

While the authority has revealed the names and ages of all alleged suspects of the prostitution ring, Immigration did not disclose their nationalities.

Earlier in February, the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology revealed it had learned of a total 111 establishments in the Greater Male’ area with known links to prostitution.

Maldives Immigration, along with other responsible authorities, have been regularly inspecting places of interest for unlawful expat activities The efforts are part of the nationwide initiative led by the current government to address and resolve illegal immigration.

The current government is targeting for a complete solution on illegal immigration within three years, while it has set an objective of deporting 5,000 irregular expats before the current year ends.

As of October 21^st, the government has been successful in deporting an exact total of 4,361 irregular expats.