Some 700 police have raided one of Germany's largest
brothels, the infamous Artemis in Berlin — in a crackdown on missing
social security payments. Human traffickers were also targeted in the
raid, which also involved tax and customs officials. Although
prostitution itself is legal in Germany, hundreds of punters and sex
workers were questioned and six people arrested.
During the raid, which took place late Wednesday evening (13 April), 212 escorts and clients were found inside the Artemis
, located near Berlin's TV tower. Most had co-operated fully with the authorities, said Berlin police spokesman Stefan Redlich.
The
brothel's owners are alleged to have evaded paying €17.5m (£14m) in
social security payments since the brothel opened in 2006, pressuring
sex workers into claiming they were self-employed to avoid making payments.
According to the Artemis's professional-looking website
,
the four-storey building has cinemas, swimming pools and even a gym.
The brothel also claims to have full disabled access and offers a buffet
at its own restaurant should customers require additional nourishment.
Prostitution was
legalised in Germany in 2001, though under new legislation being
considered in the German Parliament, anyone who pays for sex with
someone who has been forced to be a sex worker could be imprisoned for
up to five years. Chancellor Angela Merkel also brought in
legislation making it compulsory for clients to wear a condom. The trade
is thought to be worth €16bn (£12.7bn, $18bn)per year.
The laws relating to
the sex industry vary dramatically across Europe. Germany's relatively
liberal laws make it a magnet both for sex workers - many of them from
eastern Europe - and clients. In neighbouring France, meanwhile, new
laws have made it legal to be a prostitute but illegal to pay for sex.
It's also illegal to buy sex in Northern Ireland, Norway, Iceland and
Sweden. Prostitution remains legal in Britain, though related activities
including kerb-crawling and soliciting are illegal.
German police raid Berlin's mega-brothel Artemis believed to be involved in human trafficking
Reviewed by Bizpodia
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