Prostitution ring, victims mainly Syrian girls, busted north east of Beirut

In the framework of fighting human trafficking, the General Directorate of Security Forces announced in a statement yesterday the arrest of a new prostitution ring active in Maameltein north east of the capital. The statement added that the bust was based on information involving an organized ring luring girls from Syria to travel to Lebanon for tourism and forcing them into prostitution. A number of perpetrators of Lebanese and Syrian nationalities have admitted to the charges and that they worked for a Lebanese procurer facilitating prostitution in exchange for money. Citing the confessions of those arrested, the statement said negotiations with clients were conducted over the phone, websites and social media. A number of cell phones were also confiscated as these were used by the ring in addition to a quantity of cash. Suspects were referred to the competent judiciary as the hunt for the rest of the ring members continues, the statement concluded. (As Safir, Al Mustaqbal, November 3, 2016)