Police in Gyeonggi province yesterday arrested four alleged members of a crime ring on charges of human trafficking and prostitution. The men allegedly promised 25 women that they would get them high-paying jobs in nightclubs and bars in Los Angeles after placing ads on the Internet offering to find women such jobs.
The four then allegedly sold the women who responded to the ads to Korean American owners of bars in Los Angeles, who later put the women to work as prostitutes.
Police say they are also attempting to track down five other members of the criminal ring who they suspect also engaged in the trafficking of the women.
The police said that the men allegedly sent the women to Canada or Mexico, where no entry visa is required. The women were then smuggled to the United States from those countries.
According to police, the men received $8,000 to $10,000 per woman.
by Jeon Ick-jin
