Las Vegas Brothel Busted: Three Men Charged with Human Trafficking

Some Nevada counties allow brothels if they are officially licensed, but Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, does not allow such activities. A recent Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) investigation uncovered an illegal brothel where two Chinese women were smuggled into the country and forced to work as prostitutes. According to local media, two men who rented a home in the Chinatown area are suspected of operating the brothel.

Earlier this month, police arrested two suspects: a man identified only as C.G. and his accomplice, L.S. The third person arrested, a homeowner with the initials E.C., rented out the property and is also under investigation.

E.C. is charged with facilitating an illegal brothel and attempting to conceal proceeds from suspicious transactions. C.G. is charged with extorting proceeds from prostitution by using threats or violence, as well as conspiracy and direct participation in human trafficking. His accomplice, L.S., is also charged with operating a brothel and participating in human trafficking.

During the raid, police found a large amount of cash. About $40,000 was found in the brothel, another $180,000 was seized from the suspects' homes, and $32,000 was hidden in one of the men's cars.

Documents in the case also indicate the discovery of numerous items related to prostitution, including condoms, lubricants, and records of the brothel's activities, including accounting documents.

The investigation began in April, when LVMPD detectives found an online ad for prostitution featuring a scantily clad Asian woman. One of the detectives contacted the advertisers, who gave him the address of a house in Chinatown.

A surveillance operation was then launched, during which police observed 20-30 men visiting the house daily, staying there for only a few minutes. These observations confirmed their suspicions, and police began the operation.

After arresting the suspects, police interviewed the victims, two Chinese women, who said they had been smuggled into the United States through Mexico. They were promised jobs at a restaurant, but upon arrival in the country they were forced into prostitution.