S

ixteen women are reported to have fallen victim to human trafficking after allegedly being employed as commercial sex workers at a brothel in Palembang, South Sumatra.

Reports say the women are from Bogor, West Java, while the brothel is located in the former red light district of Teratai Putih in the city.

The case has been uncovered following a search conducted by the Bogor Police’s woman and child service unit (PPA) at the site, which is now known by its new name of Kampung Baru.

The women, are aged between 17 and 30-years-old. They were brought to Sukarami police precinct, Palembang, for data verification before being sent back to their families on Friday.

“This uncovering is the result of police cooperation,” head of the police precinct’s detective and investigation unit, First Insp. Hanys Pamungkas Subandrio said on Friday.

He said the case emerged when parents filed reports about missing daughters to the Bogor Police.

The police later arrested Iwan, who was alleged to be linked to the brothel’s management.

“We are still chasing Ujang, the person who held the women at the brothel,” Hanys said.

One of the women, said that she had been at the brothel for two years and was unable to escape because the building was always under tight security.

“I was initially promised by Iwan to be employed as a waitress in a café. It turned out that I was employed to serve men,” said the woman, who is five-month pregnant.

Another victim said she had initially been brought to Palembang for sightseeing, only to end up at the brothel.

The second year student of a senior vocational high school in Bogor added that she and other girls at the brothel had made several failed escape attempts.