Hong Kong police arrested eight Thai women across two raids targeting alleged illegal prostitution activities in the Sham Shui Po district on June 28 and June 29, according to local media reports.
Police from Sham Shui Po district launched an operation codenamed Ling Yi at about 4pm on June 29 after gathering intelligence through an investigation.
Officers searched a building suspected of being linked to illegal prostitution in the district, which police have been monitoring closely.
During the raid, police arrested six Thai women. A 50 year old Thai woman was arrested for allegedly assisting in the operation of premises used for prostitution. The remaining five women, aged 26 to 40, were arrested for allegedly breaching the conditions of their stay in Hong Kong.
Officers also seized condoms, lubricant, massage oil and towels, which police said were connected to activities carried out at the premises.
Local reports said all six women were travelling on Thai passports and had entered Hong Kong as tourists or short-term visitors. Police did not disclose the specific visa held by each individual, but stated that they had breached the conditions of their stay in Hong Kong.
The June 29 operation followed another raid in the same district on June 28, when officers arrested two additional Thai women. The police did not disclose the alleged offences involving the two women.
The arrests brought the total number of Thai women taken into custody to eight over two days as police continued their crackdown on suspected illegal prostitution operations in Sham Shui Po.
TravelNews reported that Hong Kong police said enforcement operations in Sham Shui Po will continue as part of efforts to combat alleged illegal activities in the district.
Police also warned that breaching immigration conditions or using a visa for purposes other than those permitted could affect future travel records and immigration applications.
In similar news, Taiwanese police arrested a Taiwanese man for running a prostitution ring involving 16 Thai women, including his own girlfriend, who acted as a translator and helped recruit more Thai sex workers to Taiwan.
The story Eight Thai women arrested in Hong Kong prostitution crackdown as seen on Thaiger News.
