Swindon overrun by ‘pop-up’ brothels with 30 sex dens opening in the town every week
ALMOST 200 sex workers are being monitored by town's cops - with 40 constantly moving to avoid detection
Swindon is suffering a plague of 'pop-up' brothels used by foreign hookers, police have revealed.
East European crime gangs install girls in rented houses from a few weeks to sometimes just a single day before upping sticks.
Out of around 180 sex workers being monitored by officers in the town, 40 are 'on the run' switching addresses to avoid detection.
But Wiltshire Police say the majority of those living a transient life have been trafficked from Poland and Romania.
Det Sgt Chris Hitchcock estimated up to 30 brothels were short to medium-term lets - and landlords have been warned to be on their guard.
He added: "Officers look to intervene and see if we can offer safeguarding, and see if organised crime is involved, as often as we can".
"Not every girl that we come across has been trafficked, but they are largely vulnerable.
"The girls are often subject to assault and put in financial debt as well.
"With that comes quite a degree of control over them."
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Swindon has seen a brothel boom with the force receiving 60 complaints in 2014 - and 112 in 2015.
Six months ago officers detained 16 people from Romania over 'here today, gone tomorrow' bawdy houses in the town.
A hundred officers on Operation Zephyr seized cars, £9,000, 5,500 Euros, forged IDs and shady banking documents.
Similar raids in the city of Ploiesti 20 miles north of Bucharest resulted in 13 men and three women arrested, and 40 potential trafficking victims arrested.
Zephyr boss DI Tony Hubbard said at the time: "We want landlords who provide short term accommodation to be vigilant and make sure their accommodation is not being used as a brothel."
- THE problem of pop-up brothels is highlighted in a BBC Inside Out West documentary, on Monday at 7.30pm.