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Canadian police raid 18 parlors, rescue 52 Asians

Canadian police have rescued 52 Asian and South Asian women in raids of 18 massage parlors "acting as fronts for prostitution," authorities in Vancouver said on Friday.

The overnight raids were the result of a joint investigation of human trafficking and brothels by several Canadian agencies, Superintendent Bill Ard of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) told a news conference.

A total of 108 people were arrested, including 26 clients and 74 women, a RCMP statement said.

All those arrested were adults and were released on a promise to appear later in court, authorities said.

Of the women arrested, 52 were referred to victim response teams that included volunteer social workers from community agencies and women's organizations, government workers and police, police said.

As victims, the women will not be immediately deported and "can be issued temporary residency permits," Rob Johnston, enforcement director with the Canada Border Services Agency, told a televised news conference in the nearby suburb of Surrey.

Each of the women is receiving housing, clothes, food, health care and money to live on, said Susanne Dahlin, a victims services official with the British Columbia department of Public Safety and Solicitor-General.

Dahlin said social workers are also helping the women with information and legal advice.

"Victimization removes any control that a person has to make decisions for themselves," Dahlin said. "Many of these victims will have no information about the laws of the country ... they often need time and space in safety to make ... decisions."

Authorities said no names of those arrested would be released "for privacy reasons," and said the investigation is continuing.

Plans to tackle human trafficking in British Columbia, a gateway from Asia to North America, began two-and-a-half years ago, Dahlin said.

Ard said Friday's raids of massage parlors in Vancouver and the nearby suburbs of Richmond, Surrey, Burnaby and Coquitlam started in March, with a joint investigation by police, customs authorities and border agents.
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