sexposed | 

Crime gang runs major vice operation from town house in leafy Dublin suburb

The photographs were taken at an easily identifiable house in Ranelagh, a Dublin suburb popular with political and media figures

Yesterday at 17:40

A suspected South American crime gang are openly running a major vice operation from a Dublin town house, organising dozens of women to work as prostitutes.

Over 300 sex-for-sale profiles have been linked to the group which advertises on a notorious website originally set up by convicted pimp Peter McCormick.

This week photographs of scantily-clad women appeared online offering various sexual services starting at €100 for 30 minutes.

The photographs were taken at an easily identifiable house in Ranelagh, a Dublin suburb popular with political and media figures.

The operation’s online activities show that they have used various locations around Dublin as well as a smaller number outside the city.

The multi-million euro earning gang also appears able to provide a steady supply of new faces to the Irish vice trade which is dominated in this country by organised crime gangs.

Four separate women claiming to be Spanish featured in photographs taken at the Ranelagh address to and posted online with rates varying from €200 an hour and dinner dates at €1200, while some kept their price list hidden.

Their online profiles leave no doubt what is on offer with explicit sexual acts being listed as available to punters.

One profile says: “I describe myself as very playful, confident, sexy and extremely sensual.. I live pleasing you over and over.. I have a huge sensual appetite so I hope you do too.”

Another states: “My delicious curves, my gorgeous boobs and sweet smile are going to melt your worries and stress away and are going to heighten all of your senses!”

The profiles were among the total 920 listed on the website this week offering prostitution services across the island of Ireland.

Earlier this week Justice Minister Helen McEntee promised a clampdown on the sex trade as the government announced a plan to tackle human trafficking in Ireland.

During the launch she told reporters that everything would be done to shut down websites that advertise escort services in the country.

An Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality recommended the move ten years ago in a 2013 report on prostitution laws which had cross-party support.

Internationally, Ireland is seen as having a poor record among developed countries when it comes to tackling people trafficking.

US State Department Trafficking in Persons report states Ireland has made little progress since last year in tackling the sex trafficking industry.

While two cases of alleged people-trafficking are currently before the courts the only other significant case came in September 2021 when two women were convicted in Mullingar Circuit Court.

It was found Alicia Edosa and Edith Enoghaghase had tricked women in west Africa to travel to Ireland for non-existent jobs and then forced to work as prostitutes.

They were kept in line by a juju curse which left the women believing their families would be in danger if they did not obey their traffickers.

One woman told how the ritual involved pulling out the heart of a chicken and others described being cut with razors and having their bodies shaved.

She ended up in brothels all over Ireland before the vice operation was broken up in Mullingar during which time she had generated €44,000 for the gang.

Siddharth Kara, a world-renowned expert previously told the Sunday World a trafficked woman is worth €150,000 “or more” every year to criminal gangs in countries like Ireland.

In their annual report published last week Ruhama, a charity that helps women get out of the sex trade said the level of sex trafficking is increasing in Ireland.

More victims contacted Ruhama in 2022, who dealt with 147 victims of trafficking, increasing by 60% compared to 2021.

Chief Executive Barbara Condon said at the launch of the report that the demand for the sex trade among sex buyers is driving the profiteering from human trafficking.

It is estimated that €180 million is made every year in Ireland’s illegal sex trade.

Minister McEntee this week expressed frustration that only two people have been prosecuted for human trafficking offences in Ireland.

She said it was “hugely encouraging” that other prosecutions have been mounted and are going through the criminal justice system.

“I think we all agree that we need to see more prosecutions for human trafficking, we’ve only had two and that has been in recent years.”.

“Some of the most significant challenges have been, firstly, gathering evidence, highlighting this as a crime, but encouraging victims to come forward and encouraging victims to tell their story, which can be often very difficult.”