12 Thai women rescued from forced prostitution, 4 arrested

UTSUNOMIYA, Japan, Dec. 1 Kyodo - Four Thai women have been arrested on suspicion of forcing other women to engage in prostitution earlier this year in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture,
while another 12 Thai women have been placed under protection, police said Monday.
The 12 women, in their 20s to 30s, were brought to Japan as they owe 4.8
million yen each and the police are investigating to determine if a human
trafficking agent was involved in bringing them from Thailand, they said.
One of the victims, aged 23, telephoned the Thai Foreign Ministry seeking help
and the ministry reported the matter to Japan's National Police Agency via the
Thai Embassy in Japan.
The Tochigi prefectural police raided the adult entertainment shop in
Utsunomiya at which the 12 were being forced into prostitution and are
providing them with protection, they said.
==Kyodo