Barcelona police have arrested seven people after a joint operation at three saunas in the city’s Eixample and Ciutat Vella districts. The action involved the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Guardia Urbana, and the Spanish National Police, and it led to 12 infractions being reported.
The investigation began after a complaint was sent through the Directorate General of Police and Civil Guard website. It alleged prostitution and possible coercion at the premises. Police said the operation was part of the national plan against human trafficking for sexual exploitation, a wider effort across Spain.
Officers identified 83 men during the inspections, including 70 clients and 13 workers. The seven arrested people were among those identified as undocumented immigrants, and police transferred them to National Police facilities for sanctioning procedures linked to their immigration status.
The Guardia Urbana filed 12 infraction reports in total, five serious and seven minor. The minor issues were linked to conditions at the establishments, including licences, emergency exits, and signage. Police said they did not find any minors inside the premises.
Several specialist units took part in the operation, including the Spanish National Police’s Unit against Immigration Networks and Document Forgeries (UCRIF), the Guardia Civil’s Organic Unit of Judicial Police (UOPJ) from the Barcelona Command, and the Guardia Urbana’s Investigation Unit and Human Trafficking and Exploitation Group (GTEP).
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Originally published by Tot Barcelona. Read original article.
