Portuguese authorities successfully put an end to a human trafficking network after raiding 12 homes and the vehicles of individuals connected to an organised crime ring involved at least 20 women who were sold into sexual slavery across Europe.
The arrested face charges of money-laundering, human trafficking, according to Portugal’s immigration and border service.
The arrest was the culmination of a six-month Interpol investigation into an operation that was codenamed El Pibe, according to reports. The nationalities of the victims have not been revealed by the authorities.