Israeli Police Dismantle International Prostitution Ring

Israeli police have dismantled a sophisticated international prostitution ring that allegedly lured women from former Soviet bloc countries to Israel under the guise of tourism and then forced them into sex work. Two Israeli men, aged in their 30s and 40s, are suspected of operating the network.

According to Superintendent Shiran Menashe Amster, who led the investigation, the operation began with seemingly innocuous social media messages. Suspects would contact women, often mothers with difficult life circumstances, and convince them to come to Israel for a "vacation" with promises of significant financial earnings. The suspects allegedly provided detailed instructions, including deleting provocative photos from phones and not carrying condoms, to avoid detection upon arrival.

The investigation, which lasted several months, involved complex cooperation with foreign agents and law enforcement. Israeli investigators were deployed to the country where a local agent was operating, gathering intelligence and building the case. This international collaboration was facilitated by the intelligence division's operational coordination unit and Israeli police representatives abroad.

During the covert phase, the suspects allegedly managed at least six women already in Israel and attempted to bring more. When the investigation became overt, four active women were located. Police estimate the ring's financial turnover approached one million shekels, with suspicions of even higher amounts. The women, who were treated as victims, were offered support services, including shelters, though some refused assistance. The phenomenon is described as national and ongoing, with police working around the clock to combat it.