Cavan raids part of cross border prostitution clampdown

Eight people were arrested when scores of suspected brothels were raided across the island on Tuesday. Tuesday's swoop on over 100 premises, in the Republic, including some in County Cavan, resulted in three arrests. A man aged in his 40s and a female aged in her 20s are currently detained under s4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at Dundrum Garda Station while a female aged in her 20s is currently detained at Store Street Garda Station also under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. A large amount of documentation, cash, mobile phones and computers have also been seized. In the North, PSNI officers targeted over 20 addresses, and they believe that 10 were brothels. The operation in the North led to five arrests and three suspected victims of human trafficking being rescued. They also uncovered what sources are describing as "significant numbers of documents, phones and computers seized as well as cash." The raids involved over 350 officers from both An Garda Síochána and the PSNI as part of an ongoing investigation, codenamed Operation Quest. Operation Quest focuses on securing convictions against those organising prostitution, brothel keeping and associated offences including money laundering. A Garda spokesperson said: "During the investigation to date it has been established that prostitution is organised on a cross-border basis and today's joint operation was specifically aimed at individuals and groups intent on making profits from vulnerable members of society across the island of Ireland. "The policy of An Garda Síochána is to treat women involved as witnesses/victims unless significant evidence comes to light suggesting direct involvement in organised prostitution or brothel keeping." The suspected victims have been taken to places of safety where they have been interviewed by specially trained officers and will be provided with the services of a support scheme funded by the Department of Justice, if deemed necessary. The officer leading the PSNI investigation, Detective Superintendent Philip Marshall from Organised Crime Branch, said: "Our enquiries have established that prostitution was being organised on a cross-border basis so we have adopted a cross-border approach to tackle those organised criminals who are intent on making profits from vulnerable members of society. "Police officers, and colleagues in a number of partner agencies, will also work to gather information and evidence in relation to human trafficking, given the exploitation of vulnerable individuals within the so-called sex industry. "Anyone identified within the policing operation will be interviewed by specially trained officers to establish if they are potential victims of human trafficking and provided with specialist assistance from existing support networks within the respective jurisdictions." He added that further searches and arrests may follow in due course. Gerardine Rowley, of Ruhama, a support group for women affected by prostitution and trafficking said the cross-border operation was a new approach to helping victims of prostitution, who would be treated as witnesses. "Organised prostitution has been growing the last number of years and criminals don't see a border," she said. "This is going after the organisers who are making money from women who are vulnerable and controlled."