Seattle Police Bust Prostitution Ring They Say Used Asians Women Brought To U.S. And Coerced To Work Off Debt, Authorities Say

Police said Tuesday they have broken up a prostitution ring in which Asian women were brought to the United States and coerced to work until they had paid off large debts.

The operation apparently moved here recently from New York, where police shut down a similar operation, police said in a news release.

“This does appear to be an organized crime operation that rotates girls from city to city,” the release said.

Police received information Friday that a north Seattle home was being used as a house of prostitution catering to Asian men, and using Asian prostitutes held against their will.

The department also obtained Chinese-language business cards that were being circulated in the International District advertising the operation.

An undercover officer who visited the house spoke with one of the prostitutes and, although she spoke little English, the officer determined she felt she could not leave, the release said.

A raid on the house just after midnight Friday found five prostitutes, three customers and a male operator.

“Several said they were 20 or 21 and one said she was 27 but our investigators believe they may be younger than that,” said spokesman Sean O’Donnell of the Seattle Police Department.

The prostitutes were taken to a women’s shelter, while the operator was booked into King County Jail for investigation of promoting prostitution. He was later released.

“It did not appear that the girls were being forced to stay and work as prostitutes because of force or fear, but rather by circumstances and ignorance,” the release said.

Police said one of the prostitutes told them most of the young women were from Laos and Thailand.

According to the police statement, one woman said she had been approached in her home country by a woman who told her she could become rich by working as a prostitute in the United States. The woman provided a one-way ticket, telling the younger woman she would have to send back money to repay the debt.

Once in this country, the young woman’s passport was taken and she went to work as a prostitute.

“It appears that these prostitutes may have signed contracts obligating them to repay a large amount of money before they can return home,” the release said.

“For all intents and purposes, the girls are indentured servants, working off a debt they will never be able to repay.”

O’Donnell said police are investigat ing whether the operation is the same as a prostitution house shut down in New York City last November.