This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/6114068.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| £2m 'tourist' brothel gang jailed | £2m 'tourist' brothel gang jailed |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Six members of a brothel gang, that made about £2m in less than 17 months have been jailed. | Six members of a brothel gang, that made about £2m in less than 17 months have been jailed. |
| Scores of young women were recruited in Malaysia and smuggled into the UK posing as tourists. | Scores of young women were recruited in Malaysia and smuggled into the UK posing as tourists. |
| Southwark Crown Court was told at least one was tricked into leaving her family after being offered an all expenses paid sightseeing trip. | Southwark Crown Court was told at least one was tricked into leaving her family after being offered an all expenses paid sightseeing trip. |
| The six men from London, Birmingham and Hertfordshire, were sentenced to up to five years each. | |
| The gang had operated three luxurious brothels in London and Birmingham since 2004 and the court heard the women were expected to service about 70 men a week. | The gang had operated three luxurious brothels in London and Birmingham since 2004 and the court heard the women were expected to service about 70 men a week. |
| JAILED GANG Thanh Hue Thi, 43, of Golders Green, north London - jailed for five years Kenny Low, 50, of Mayfair, west London - three-and-a-half years Leng Loh, 25, from Hay Park, Birmingham - 15 months Choon Low, 63, of Mayfair, west London - 15 months Kwok Hoh, 39, of Berkhampsted, Herts - 15 months Godfrey Wong, 21, of Rowley Regis, Birmingham - 12 months | JAILED GANG Thanh Hue Thi, 43, of Golders Green, north London - jailed for five years Kenny Low, 50, of Mayfair, west London - three-and-a-half years Leng Loh, 25, from Hay Park, Birmingham - 15 months Choon Low, 63, of Mayfair, west London - 15 months Kwok Hoh, 39, of Berkhampsted, Herts - 15 months Godfrey Wong, 21, of Rowley Regis, Birmingham - 12 months |
| Brendan Kelly, prosecuting, said with clients being charged a minimum £70 for just 30 minutes, the operation was an "obvious money spinner". | Brendan Kelly, prosecuting, said with clients being charged a minimum £70 for just 30 minutes, the operation was an "obvious money spinner". |
| Officers who later studied so-called "worksheets" from the three premises later calculated the gang had "grossed over £2m in just 17 months". | Officers who later studied so-called "worksheets" from the three premises later calculated the gang had "grossed over £2m in just 17 months". |
| Among those in the dock was "ruthless mastermind" Thanh Hue Thi, from Golders Green, north-west London. | Among those in the dock was "ruthless mastermind" Thanh Hue Thi, from Golders Green, north-west London. |
| The 43-year-old was jailed for five years after admitting conspiracy to traffic women into the United Kingdom for gain and controlling prostitution. | The 43-year-old was jailed for five years after admitting conspiracy to traffic women into the United Kingdom for gain and controlling prostitution. |
| Serious exploitation | Serious exploitation |
| Judge Geoffrey Rivlin QC said, in passing sentence: "This was big business and very large sums were involved. It undoubtedly involved the importation of girls into this country for the purposes of prostitution." | Judge Geoffrey Rivlin QC said, in passing sentence: "This was big business and very large sums were involved. It undoubtedly involved the importation of girls into this country for the purposes of prostitution." |
| Furthermore, while there was evidence of "coercion" in only a few cases, all the women that worked for them were clearly under "very strict instructions" and rigidly schooled in the way they should behave towards clients. | Furthermore, while there was evidence of "coercion" in only a few cases, all the women that worked for them were clearly under "very strict instructions" and rigidly schooled in the way they should behave towards clients. |
| "All of this resulted in their serious exploitation." | "All of this resulted in their serious exploitation." |
| He said urgent inquiries should be made into brothel boss Thi's status in this country, adding if he was here illegally he should be deported to Malaysia upon his release. | He said urgent inquiries should be made into brothel boss Thi's status in this country, adding if he was here illegally he should be deported to Malaysia upon his release. |
| All admitted controlling prostitution and, apart from Low and Loh, were recommended for deportation. | All admitted controlling prostitution and, apart from Low and Loh, were recommended for deportation. |