Criminal ring sold prostitution client data to extort them

The National Police operation resulted in 40 arrests across Valencia and Fuerteventura, seven provisional imprisonments, three rescued women, and the seizure of marijuana, firearms, fighting roosters, and cash.

The National Police detained two people in Fuerteventura as part of a joint operation against two linked criminal groups—one dedicated to extortion and the other to human trafficking for sexual exploitation. The investigation, which began in Valencia, has culminated in 40 arrests, seven of them placed in provisional prison.

In the island’s capital, agents raided a “brothel‑apartment,” seized four phones used for advertising and client communication, €1,600 in cash, and related documentation, and released three women who were victims of trafficking.

According to the National Police, the Fuerteventura cell consisted of a couple who sexually exploited women recruited through false job offers posted on social media and dating platforms. The victims were brought from the mainland and other islands and subjected to abusive conditions, constant monitoring, movement restrictions, and total dependence on their exploiters.

“The network had an agreement with another group based in Valencia, to which it supplied data on users of sexual services for €50 per client, later used for extortion.”

Extortion and Trafficking – Investigation Originated in Castellón

The case is being handled by the First Investigative Court of Castellón. It began in May 2025 after a victim filed a complaint: after requesting sexual services online, she received a call from someone posing as the “head of the club” for the advertised women. During the call, the impostor accused her of wasting their time and demanded immediate payment of about €5,000 for alleged damages, using coercive and threatening language.

Further investigations uncovered 80 similar complaints nationwide. Police identified the operational hub of the organization in Valencia, where they managed recruitment, intimidation calls, and the flow of illicit proceeds.

The modus operandi involved mass posting of fake advertisements for women on dating sites. Once victims contacted the listed numbers, the organization initiated the extortion phase, convincing them that they owed a “debt to the brothel” or to security personnel for missed appointments or disrespect.

“The group used victims’ shame and fear of their surroundings discovering they had used sexual services as leverage to extract substantial sums of money.”

Structure of the Network and Money Laundering

At the top were the principal leaders, responsible for directing, managing, and distributing the money, as well as publishing and renewing the ads and carrying out threats.

A second tier consisted of “mules” who recruited the women, supervised them, and handled commissions for each opened bank account or telephone line.

At the base were individuals who provided personal documents to open telephone lines and bank accounts in their names, receiving the victims’ payments.

Police say the organization operated at a high level of sophistication, laundering its profits through other criminal activities such as drug trafficking and illegal cock‑fighting. Core members employed protective measures—intermediaries, rotating phone numbers, and multiple payment accounts—to evade detection.

Searches and Charged Offenses

In Valencia, eight home raids uncovered three indoor marijuana plantations, 11 fighting roosters, two short firearms, and €1,700 in cash. 38 people were arrested there, with five placed in provisional prison. They face charges of extortion, organized crime, money laundering, offenses against public health, illegal weapons possession, and animal cruelty.

In Fuerteventura, the two detained individuals were placed in provisional prison on suspicion of belonging to a criminal organization, human trafficking for sexual exploitation, prostitution‑related offenses, and facilitation of irregular immigration.

The operation highlights the extensive reach of organized crime networks that combine sexual exploitation, extortion, and other illicit trades, and underscores the coordinated effort of law‑enforcement agencies across regions to dismantle them.