Two women forced into prostitution freed in Alicante

A false promise of work as a waitress led one woman to a property in Callosa de Segura, Alicante, where she says she was told she had to engage in prostitution. With no valid documents, money or place to go, she felt unable to refuse.

The woman eventually persuaded an acquaintance to call Spain's 112 emergency service. She told the Guardia Civil that she was being held against her will, that money was allegedly being withheld from her and that the operators had kept her documents. Officers took her to a specialized women's support center while investigators began gathering evidence.

The victim said she had been recruited through an offer promising a job, a salary and accommodation. Investigators later searched an isolated building beside an interurban road. The ground floor operated as a bar, while the upper floor served as a residence and the place where the alleged exploitation occurred.

Inside, officers arrested a 66-year-old man and his 59-year-old partner. They also found a second woman who said she had been sexually exploited and corroborated the first victim's account. Both women were placed in specialized services for trafficking victims.

The search produced records documenting the business, including entries listing prices and services imposed on the women, as well as 30,000 euros in cash hidden in the home, six mobile phones and a laptop. An initial review helped identify a third victim, who is also receiving support. Investigators continue examining the seized material and have found up to 50 identities of possible victims. The couple faces allegations of human trafficking for sexual exploitation and illegal detention.