Thread: 9 charged in Asia, US prostitution ring

Charged in Asia-U.S. Prostitution Ring
By Associated Press
45 minutes ago

SEATTLE - Authorities said nine people were arrested Thursday as investigators broke an international sex-trafficking ring that smuggled Asian women into the U.S. in shipping containers.

Seven conspirators in a "highly organized national network prostitution ring" were arrested in Seattle and two in Los Angeles, the U.S. attorney's office said.

According to court documents, Yong Jun Kang, 36, of Seattle, operated brothels in Portland, Ore., and Seattle, where he and others would bring Asian women, most of whom were in the United States illegally.

Authorities allege that Kang told confidential informants that women were being smuggled into the U.S. in shipping containers after paying as much as $50,000. Some of the women, investigators said, were brought into the United States by crossing the Canadian border.

The women came from China, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and Laos, and were forced to pay debts to smugglers by working in brothels, federal prosecutors said.

Others arrested are accused of managing the brothels, transporting prostitutes and operating an escort service that allegedly served as a front for prostitution. A woman identified as a prostitute and a close confidant of Kang's also was arrested.

They face charges of conspiracy to transport individuals in furtherance of prostitution, conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens and conspiracy to engage in money laundering. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison.

A message left with Kang's attorney Thursday afternoon was not immediately returned.

Authorities said the 21-month investigation by the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Seattle police used confidential informants, court-approved wiretaps and Global Positioning Satellite units to identify participants.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

I don't see anything about the prostitutes being arrested that were in the country illegally. When did prostitution become legal in the U.S.?

Originally Posted by sawdust

I don't see anything about the prostitutes being arrested that were in the country illegally. When did prostitution become legal in the U.S.?

They'll be given immunity and green cards to testify against the boss I'll bet.

Originally Posted by had_enuf

Originally Posted by sawdust

I don't see anything about the prostitutes being arrested that were in the country illegally. When did prostitution become legal in the U.S.?

They'll be given immunity and green cards to testify against the boss I'll bet.

Oh well, at least they'll be speaking fluent English in a few months.

When did prostitution become legal in the U.S.?

Got me but they sure seem to have a thriving business going with illegals!

Between that and child porn it's liable to become the basis for our new economy. Gee......add drugs and we're a thriving 3rd world!!!!