Over 140 working in these arrested
Two workers found to be HIV positive
A group of people running Spas and over 130 employed in them in the Negombo, Seeduwa and Kochchikade Police areas have been arrested, Police Media Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said yesterday (27). Fifty three such centres have been ordered to close down as well.
Police conducted special raids during the last few days in the Negombo, Kochchikade and Seeduwa areas after receiving information from the Police Intelligence Unit that there are brothel houses having men and women employed for prostitution, which are being run under the guise of spas in these areas.
According to Thalduwa, the new Negombo Police OIC has raided these brothel houses running on the pretext of spas after obtaining relevant information from the Intelligence Unit together with the OICs of the Negombo, Kochchikade and Seeduwa Police stations.
Suspects from these so called spas have been arrested on charges for conducting brothel houses used for prostitution, employing people to work as prostitutes, for staying in these brothel houses and for managing these brothel houses for business purposes.
The arrested suspects have been produced before the Court and have been remanded. Medical examinations have been conducted on the detained suspects and steps have been taken to permanently shut down more than 53 centres that have been carrying out prostitution on the pretext of spas by Police, Thalduwa said.
During the raids that have been conducted, eight males and 137 females who were employed as prostitutes in these spa turned brothel houses in the said areas were arrested.
VARUNA DAYARATNE