01 September,2010 10:10 AM IST | | Agencies
Police in Spain have busted a ring engaged in sexually exploiting men recruited from Brazil and forced to work round the clock under death threats.
A total of 64 men and a few transvestites were brought to Spain from Brazil's Maranhao state. Some of the men, aged 22 to 29, knew they were coming as prostitutes, while the rest had no idea what was in store for them. They thought they were getting jobs as dancers or models, police said on Tuesday.
Under the threat of death, the men were kept available as sex workers 24 hours a day, and to be able to indulge in non-stop sexual activity they were given sexual stimulants like Viagra and cocaine, police said.
The victims lived in overcrowded quarters with as many as six in a bed. For their services they charged 60 euros ($75), but had to hand over half the money to their bosses.
Besides handing over half the money they collected, the male prostitutes had to pay the criminals 200 euros ($250) as accommodation charges.
The ring had five apartments in different Spanish provinces, though the victims also practised prostitution in a brothel. The men attracted clients through advertisements in newspapers and websites, police said.
