A National Police officer has been placed in pre-trial detention following the dismantling of a suspected brothel network in Tenerife, where an undisclosed number of women were allegedly forced into prostitution.
The officer is the only man among the four individuals who have been jailed as part of a major operation against sexual exploitation, led by the Investigating Court Number 2 of Santa Cruz and carried out by the National Police’s Internal Affairs division.
The operation, which has been in progress since at least mid-last year, resulted in six arrests and multiple searches conducted under judicial authorisation. Following these arrests, four of the detainees were remanded in custody after being brought before the court.
Now that the secrecy order on the case has been lifted, sources have confirmed that one of those imprisoned is a police officer, while the other three are women.
Internal Affairs Leads the Investigation
The involvement of a National Police officer in the case meant that the operation was handled by Internal Affairs, a department within the Ministry of the Interior responsible for investigating misconduct among law enforcement personnel.
The arrests took place on Tuesday 4th February, following months of investigation. Authorities carried out raids in several properties across Tenerife, including Santa Cruz, La Laguna, La Victoria de Acentejo, Los Realejos, and Candelaria. The premises were allegedly used to force victims into prostitution under coercion.
According to sources close to the investigation, a total of eight people are being investigated, six of whom were arrested in the initial raid.
Court Proceedings and Further Investigations
The six detainees were brought before the judicial authorities on Friday, 7th February, where they were given the opportunity to provide statements. The judge ultimately ordered the pre-trial detention of four people: the police officer and three women.
The remaining two arrested individuals, both men, were released on bail with charges. One of them was reportedly detained alongside a family member at their shared residence but was released the same day, as authorities determined his involvement might be less significant than initially suspected.
Additionally, two other men are under investigation in connection with the case, though they were not arrested during the raid. This suggests that any potential legal consequences for their involvement are likely to be secondary.
A Large-Scale Operation
The scope of the police operation highlights its significance, with authorities conducting more than a dozen searches in private homes and apartments across the island.
The investigation remains ongoing as officials continue to determine the full extent of the network’s activities and the roles played by those involved.
