Six Nigerian nationals, three men and three women, have been arrested in Sevilla in connection with a human trafficking network who used children as leverage to force their victims into prostitution.
Women of low status or economic background were recruited in Nigeria and promised lucrative jobs and legal status in Spain. A series of drivers were used to bring the woman through various African countries and, as a result, a number were abused en route, at least one ending up pregnant.
Once in Spain, the women were forced into prostitution to pay back their ‘debt’ of €50,000 for the service and in a number of cases, the children of the women were held as hostages until the debt was repaid.
During police raids, one such captive, a two year old child, was found and released.
The investigation, which began last December, is continuing.