Lorraine Williamson
Spain’s National Police say they have freed 27 women, including minors, after dismantling a suspected human-trafficking network operating inside four “clubbing” venues in southern Tenerife.
The operation, carried out with C
A tip-off in 2024 triggered the investigation
According to the police press release, the case began in July 2024 after investigators received an email via the National Police victim support channel for human trafficking. The message warned of a couple in Santa Cruz de Tenerife who allegedly controlled several venues and kept women under their control.
Police say the suspected organisers travelled periodically to South America, where they targeted young women in extreme vulnerability, recruiting them with deception and false promises of work and a better life.
Debt bondage and tight control
Investigators say the women arrived in Spain with an imposed “debt” that could reach €3,000, which they were then forced to repay through sexual exploitation. Police allege the victims were housed in shared properties on the island, made to pay for accommodation, and subjected to strict rules and precarious living conditions.
The press release adds that some women were kept on the island for around three months in an attempt to avoid detection by police services.
Police allege drugs were used to enforce compliance
The women initially believed they were travelling to Spain for work as striptease dancers, police said. Once in the venues, investigators allege they were forced into prostitution, required to work long hours and pushed into drug use. In some cases, police say victims were drugged without their knowledge to lower inhibitions.
A second alleged crime: credit card fraud against clients
Police also allege the group exploited intoxicated clients — or clients allegedly made vulnerable through drugs — to carry out fraud using bank cards, including spending inside the venues and cash withdrawals at ATMs.
Investigators say they have confirmed fraud worth more than €70,000.
A 16-year-old found with false documents
During the investigation, officers say they identified sexual exploitation of minors within establishments controlled by the network. Police report finding a 16-year-old inside one of the clubs carrying a forged document.
Raids across Tenerife: cash, luxury items and paperwork seized
In the final phase of the operation, police carried out searches at seven homes, three clubs and a gestoría (administrative office). They seized what they describe as extensive incriminating documentation and high-value assets, including €90,000 in cash, a high-end vehicle, luxury watches, jewellery and multiple mobile phones.
Police believe the suspects accumulated a personal fortune, including property holdings and large sums of money.
How to report suspected trafficking in Spain
The National Police say anyone who suspects human trafficking or sexual exploitation can report it anonymously and confidentially via:
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Phone:
900 105 090(not shown on phone bills, police say) -
Email: trata@policia.es
In an emergency, call 112
Why this matters beyond Tenerife
Tenerife is one of Spain’s best-known tourist destinations — and that visibility can make exploitation harder to spot in plain sight. Anti-trafficking investigators repeatedly stress that trafficking relies on control, isolation, fear and debt, not “choice” or “workplace rules”.
If you notice signs such as someone appearing monitored, unable to speak freely, lacking documents, showing fear of staff, or being moved between addresses, authorities advise reporting concerns rather than confronting suspected traffickers directly.
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