(QCOSTARICA) It was 2:00am Saturday, when agents of the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) raided a hotel/bar in Escazu allegedly running as a brothel.
Based on confidential information, OIJ agents raided the Seuño Español (Spanish Dream) hotel in Escazu, finding within the premises seven women working there, two of whom worked as waitresses and the remaining five apparently providing sexual services, one being a 16 year-old Nicaraguan girl.
In one of the rooms, agents also found six children, aged between 5 and 13 years of age, sleeping and apparently living there. Two of children are daughters of the owner, a Spanish national identified by his last name Burgués, the other four children of one of the waitresses. The children were taken into custody by the Patronato Nacional de la Infancia (PANI) – Child Welfare Agency.
The property apparently did not have the respective permits to operate as a hotel or bar. The Spaniard, who is believed to be a permanent resident, was taken into custody as authorities determine his legal status.
According to the report, the investigation began in January when OIJ agents received information that women and alcohol were being served up at the bar/hotel, where both minor and adult women offered sexual services in exchange for payment of ¢70,000 colones (US$125).
Burgués faces charges of “proxenetismo agravado” (aggravated pimping).
Last week in the San Carlos/San Ramon raids, the immigration service rescued 16 Nicaraguan women who apparently, on the promise of work as waitresses in Costa Rica, were being sexually exploited and held captive, as sex slaves, by their promoters. In that case, four women and man have been indicted for alleged trafficking of persons.
Source La Nacion
